Foley, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Foley
City
Flag logo
Nickname(s):  "The Forward City"
Motto(s):  "The Heart of the American Riviera"
Location of Foley in Baldwin County, Alabama.
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Baldwin
Government
• Type	Council/Mayor
Area
• Total	32.65 sq mi (84.57 km2)
• Land	32.51 sq mi (84.20 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2)
Elevation	79 ft (24 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,335
• Density	625.52/sq mi (241.51/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	36535-36536
Area code	251
FIPS code	01-26992
GNIS feature ID	0118464
Website	http://www.cityoffoley.org

Foley is a city located in Baldwin County, Alabama, in the United States. In 2010, about 14,618 people lived there. By 2020, the population grew to 20,335 people. Foley is an important city in the larger Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metropolitan area, which covers all of Baldwin County.

History of Foley

Foley is named after its founder, John B. Foley, who was from Chicago. In 1901, he learned about the land in South Baldwin County. He visited the area in 1902 and liked it so much that he bought a very large amount of land, between 40,000 and 50,000 acres.

After buying the land, John Foley started a company called the Magnolia Springs Land Company. He wanted to sell parts of his land to new settlers. To help people get to Foley, he used his own money to build railroad tracks. The first train station was built in 1905. This station burned down in 1908, and a new one was built in 1909. Today, this old station is the city's museum!

John Foley also gave land for important places like a school, a park, and several churches. He also helped start a hotel, a farm, a bank, and a company that provided services like electricity. The first train to Foley was called the "Pine Knot Special." It would travel to Foley in the morning and return in the afternoon. Foley became an official city in 1915, and G. I. Weatherly was its first mayor.

Geography of Foley

Foley is located in the southern part of Alabama. Its exact location is 30°24'20.138" North and 87°40'53.432" West.

The city covers a total area of about 25.89 square miles (67.05 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 25.76 square miles (66.72 square kilometers), is land. Only a small part, about 0.4%, is water.

Population and People

The number of people living in Foley has grown a lot over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

2020 Census Information

In 2020, there were 20,335 people living in Foley. These people lived in 8,090 households, and 4,298 of these were families.

Education in Foley

Foley is part of the Baldwin County Public Schools system. This means that schools in Foley are managed by the county. The city has several schools for students of all ages.

Schools in Foley

Colleges and Universities

• Fortis College

High Schools

• Foley High School (for grades 9-12)

Middle Schools

• Foley Middle School (for grades 7-8)

Elementary Schools

• Foley Elementary School (for grades K-6)
• Florence B. Mathis Elementary (for grades K-6)
• Magnolia Elementary Schools (for grades K-6)
• Swift Consolidated Elementary (for grades K-6)

Foley Public Library

The Foley Public Library is a great place for reading and learning. It has over 50,000 books and offers computers with internet access. The library also has special reading programs for children and meeting rooms for community groups.

Fun Places to Visit

Foley has many interesting places to visit and fun things to do.

• The City of Foley Antique Rose Trail is a beautiful path where you can see more than 500 different kinds of sweet-smelling roses.

• OWA is a huge resort with lots of entertainment. It covers 520 acres and is owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The name OWA means "big water" in their language. It opened in 2017 and has a large artificial lake with an island. OWA has different sections:
  • Downtown OWA: A place for shopping, eating, and entertainment.
  • The Park at OWA: An amusement park with exciting rides, including a rollercoaster called Rollin' Thunder.
  • Tropic Falls: A water park that started opening in 2022.

OWA also hosts the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival.

• South McKenzie Street is a busy area with many stores and restaurants. You can find a Tanger Outlet there, which is a great place for shopping.

Transportation

The Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) provides a special "dial-a-ride" service for people to get around the county.

Famous People from Foley

Many talented people have come from Foley, including:

• Justin Anderson, a professional football player.
• Walter Ballard, a racing car driver.
• Fannie Flagg, a famous actress, comedian, and author who wrote Fried Green Tomatoes.
• D. J. Fluker, a professional football player.
• Julio Jones, a professional football wide receiver who played for the Alabama Crimson Tide and now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Everett A. Kelly, who was a member of the Florida House of Representatives.
• Robert Lester, a professional football player.
• Bubba Marriott, a football player.
• Ken Stabler, a famous football quarterback who played for the Oakland Raiders and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
• Chris Watton, a former professional football player.

Things to Do and See

• The City of Foley Museum & Archives and Model Train Exhibit is located in an old train station from the early 1900s. You can learn about Foley's history and see cool train items.

• The Holmes Medical Museum is in downtown Foley. It was the first hospital in Baldwin County. You can see old medical tools from the 20th century and even a doctor's sled!

Sister Cities

Foley has a special connection with another city far away:

• Hennef, Germany (since 2022)

See also

In Spanish: Foley (Alabama) para niños