Mon Louis Island facts for kids

Mon Louis Island, originally known as Isle aux Maraguans, is an island located on the coast of the U.S. state of Alabama. It sits south of the city of Mobile. This island is found in southeastern Mobile County. It is about 7 feet (2.1 m) above sea level.

Mon Louis Island is roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) wide and 6 miles (9.7 km) long. It is surrounded by water on all sides. The Fowl River is to its north and west. Mobile Bay is on its east side. The Mississippi Sound borders the island to the south. Alabama State Route 193 crosses the island from north to south along its eastern edge. The Gordon Persons Bridge connects Mon Louis Island to Dauphin Island at its southern end. Small communities like Alabama Port, Heron Bay, and Mon Louis are found on the island.

Island History

Mon Louis Island was first settled in the early 1700s. French Louisiana colonists were the first to make their homes here. A land grant was given to Nicholas Baudin, Sieur de Miragouane, on November 12, 1710. Baudin came from Rochefort, France, and arrived in Mobile in 1706 when he was 20 years old.

He started a settlement on the northern part of the island. This settlement was called Miragouane. Over time, the island became known as Mon Louis. This name honored Baudin's son, Louis Alexandre Baudin. People called him mon Louis, which means "my Louis" in French. By the 1800s, many different groups of people lived on the island. These included people from various countries and Creoles.