Semmes

Welcome to Semmes!

Charming Alabama Town

The Semmes Community voted on August 17, 2010 by nearly a 3 to 1 margin to become Alabama’s 461st municipality. Mobile County Probate Court Judge Don Davis declared the City of Semmes incorporated with a population of 2,897 on May 2, 2011 after an official census of the municipality was completed. The City of Semmes annexation efforts were led by a group of citizens and friends of Semmes who through their dedicated efforts helped make the City of Semmes’s incorporation a reality.

Semmes is located almost in the center of Mobile County and covers over 2100 acres. The Semmes area is bounded to the North by the City of Citronelle, bounded to the East by the City of Saraland and Prichard, bounded to the Southeast by the City of Mobile, and finally bounded to the West by Big Creek Lake.

Historically, the Semmes Community was founded around the railroad and The Semmes Land Company was incorporated in November, 1900. The railroad served an industrial purpose by transporting yellow pine from areas north of the community, as well as providing transportation services for passengers. The community was named for Admiral Raphael Semmes (1809-1877), an officer in the United States Navy from 1826 to 1860 and the Confederate States Navy from 1860 to 1865.

Once known as the “nursery capital of the world”, Semmes is best known for it’s large nurseries that produce ornamental shrubs, the most popular being the azalea. Our subtropical climate is ideal for growing many varieties or ornamentals. Our nurseries grow many of the azaleas and camellias sold throughout the United States and several varieties developed at Semmes nurseries have won national recognition and awards. Locally owned nurseries have become a large part of the City’s character and charm contributing to the rich agricultural heritage which abounds within our community.

The Semmes Annual Camellia Show held each January in Semmes and sponsored by the Alumni and Friends of Semmes School, AKA Semmes Heritage Park is an outstanding exhibit of professional, locally grown “hothouse” camellias, as well as amateur exhibitors of this beautiful flower. The event boasts an exceptional display of camellias from local residents, nurseries, and professional growers. Displays at the show feature camellia propagation, camellia artwork, tea plant growing, tea processing and is capped by a presentation from a guest lecturer.

Group offers Residential, Commercial, and Luxury Real Estate services. Our team of top producers will help you navigate your Real Estate transaction every step of the way. Our team prides itself on Integrity, Customer Service and Communication. Bienville Realty Group provides Real Estate services in Mobile, West Mobile, Midtown Mobile, Saraland, Daphne, Fairhope, Foley, Grand Bay, Irvington, Coden, Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, and Orange Beach in Alabama. Call Bienville Realty Group today for all your Real Estate needs!!

Heritage Park

Picnics and playgrounds

The Semmes one-room schoolhouse built in 1902, is the oldest continuous-in-use school in the State of Alabama and is listed on the Alabama Historical Landmarks list. It was given this designation on August 25, 1994. It is located on land that was donated for a school and a church by Thomas Jefferson Howell. Mr. Howell donated the land based on the stipulation that the land would be used for a schoolhouse only or it would revert back to the Howell family. The schoolhouse was moved across the road in 1917, next to the new Semmes School. In 1994, a group of volunteers, former students, teachers, and community citizens formed “Alumni and Friends of Semmes School, Inc., a non-profit 501(c) 3 volunteer organization, in order to preserve the 1902 one-room Semmes School and return it to its original location. The Mobile County School Board had planned to tear down the school but their plans changed as a result of the persuasive efforts of this group of concerned citizens. The Mobile County School Board gave the organization a 99-year lease of the original property and the school was moved back to its original site in 1998. The school was restored to its 1902 condition in 1999 by volunteers and with donations from the community. It continues to operate today with volunteers as a hands-on 1900s school.

The goal of the volunteer organization, the Alumni & Friends of Semmes School is to continue to utilize the 1902 School as a “living history classroom” for the Semmes Community. Student field trips and adult tours of Heritage Park are scheduled by appointment. Interested parties may call 251-649-0270 to schedule these appointments.

The Malone Chapel is also located in Heritage Park. It is a replica of Mt. Pleasant Church that was located on this spot originally. The Chapel is available for weddings and special events with the funds contributing to the operational costs of Heritage Park. You may call 251-649-0270 if you would like to rent the chapel.

In 2016, Heritage Park volunteer, Mrs. Jeanette Byrd started a blog which further details Semmes history and the life and times of our past. For an informative trip down memory lane you may connect to Mrs. Byrd’s blog at Visit Semmes Heritage Park Blog

The Alumni and Friends of Semmes School (aka, Heritage Park) sponsor several other activities in the Semmes Community throughout the year to include the Annual Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration-(the 1st Friday in December), the Camellia Festival-(January), and the Annual Semmes Heritage Day-(1st Saturday in May).

Additional Goals of the Semmes Heritage Park Volunteer Organization are:

Promote education through hands-on history
Positively affect the quality of life and growth in the area

Annual Heritage Park Sponsored Events:

Semmes Camellia Show (January)

The first Camellia Festival was held in 1949 in Semmes and featured a full “Camellia Court of Camellia Maids” and their escorts which were selected from Semmes High School. A bit of Semmes’s past was revisited in 2013 when the Camellia Festival was revived to include the Camellia Maids. This annual festival hosted by the poised and articulate Camellia Maids features the exhibition of prized camellias by both amateur and professional local growers. The Festival also includes demonstrations of local propagation techniques utilized by Camellia growers, Camellia art displays, camellias for sale, and historical displays of Camellia Festivals past. Camellia Maid selection and application details are included in the local organization section of the website. Applications are available at the Semmes Public Library.

Semmes Heritage Day (1st Saturday in May)

Semmes Heritage Day celebrates the rich history of our community. The celebration includes food, music, and musical entertainment by local groups. With local volunteers dressed in traditional historical garb, visitors both young and old are treated to old-fashioned games, and demonstrations of life from our historical past such as a blacksmith plying his trade, displays of antique tractors and tools, buggy rides, and even an antique car show.

Semmes Old Fashioned Christmas (1st Friday in December)

The Old-Fashioned Christmas at Heritage Park is a festive holiday evening held each December at Heritage Park. This event which encompasses activities in both the Malone Chapel and the One-Room Schoolhouse includes refreshments, musical entertainment, and just good old-fashioned fun.

Grocery and retail near you

Semmes homes for sale

Semmes School is the oldest continuous-in-use school in the State of Alabama and is listed on the Alabama Historical Landmarks.
In 1994, a group of volunteers, former students, teachers and community citizens formed “Alumni & Friends of Semmes School, Inc.” to preserve the 1902 one-room Semmes School and return it to its original location. The Mobile County School Board had planned to tear down the school when concerned citizens formed a group to save to school. The School Board gave a 99-year lease to the group and moved the school back to its original site. The school was restored to its 1902 status in 1998 by volunteers and donations, and continues to operate with volunteers as a hands-on 1900s school. Malone Chapel is a replica of Mt. Pleasant Church that was located on this exact spot. The chapel is rented for weddings and special events with the funds going towards operational expenses.

Have Questions?

Schedule a call today.

If you think Semmes could be the perfect place to find your new home, let’s get together and answer any questions you may have. Bienville Realty Group is dedicated to your satisfaction.

JC Smith | Whitney Ferguson

[email protected]

251-810-HOME

251.301.2968