One of Mobile’s early hotels opened its doors in 1837 as the Gulf City Hotel. It originally was a relatively small structure on the south east corner of Water and Conti streets. The location was convenient to various businesses along Water Street and was a short walk to the riverfront docks.
Mobile was on the brink of explosive growth and the much larger Battle House would be completed in 1852. Somewhere in that decade, the Gulf City Hotel was greatly enlarged and adorned with an elaborate set of cast iron galleries.
The Gulf City Hotel was apparently competitive enough with the newer Battle House to be selected for an important banquet in January of 1873. A group of prominent men sent out invitations to a selected list of Mobilians to discuss the creation of a new men’s social club…