DAPHNE, Ala. — This past weekend, Daphne kicked off its 22nd annual Jubilee Festival by unveiling a plaque before City Hall.

This year the state celebrates small towns and downtowns in Alabama, and the Jubilee city received a plaque dedicated to its history, which dates back to the early 1900s.

The plaque tells the story of Italian families who settled in the area at the beginning of the 20th century, and their influences on surrounding architecture.

“The architecture of City Hall reflects a modern version of the Italian Renaissance style,” the plaque says. “The names and businesses surrounding it give further evidence of Daphne’s connection to the old world.”

Daphne was incorporated as a city in 1927, according to the plaque, with a population of 500. In 2008, the population was around 18,000.

“We are very proud of and pleased with the plaque that was unveiled during the Jubilee Festival,” Mayor Fred Small said. “It now stands in front of City Hall giving all the folks walking past or visiting City Hall a brief history of Daphne. We are proud that we were able to receive such a historical marker. It adds so much to the front — aesthetically and historically speaking.”

There are 122 plaques dedicated to small towns across Alabama, said Darrelyn Bender, president of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.

Spanish Fort and Fairhope also received plaques dedicated to their small-town atmosphere.

“Spanish Fort unveiled their new hardware at the May Woods and Water Festival,” Bender said. “Fairhope plans to unveil their plaque on New Year’s Eve.”