Whistler, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Whistler, Alabama
|
|
|---|---|
 Whistler, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Whistler, Alabama
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Mobile |
| Elevation | 36 ft (11 m) |
| GNIS ID | 128852 |
Whistler was once a small community in Mobile County, Alabama. In the 1950s, it became part of its neighbor, Prichard. Whistler started in the 1850s when the Mobile and Ohio Railroad was being built. This railroad was very important. It stretched from Mobile all the way to the Ohio River, and even further to big cities like St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois.
The town of Whistler grew up around the railroad's workshops, where trains were fixed and maintained. Whistler was named after a famous railroad engineer named George Washington Whistler. He was also the father of James McNeill Whistler, who painted the famous picture "Whistler's Mother".
Today, the US Postal Service uses the ZIP code 36612 for Whistler. A creek called Eight Mile Creek flows along the northern side of Whistler. It joins another creek, Chickasabogue, which then flows into the Mobile River. When Whistler was a busy place, these creeks were popular spots for swimming and cooling off in the summer.
Traveling Through Whistler
U.S. Route 45 is a major road that goes through Whistler. This road starts in Mobile and continues all the way to Chicago. It even goes further north to Lake Superior in Michigan. Most people traveling long distances today use Interstate 65. This big highway runs along the eastern edge of Whistler. I-65 connects Mobile to the shores of Lake Michigan, near Gary, Indiana.
Becoming Part of Prichard
In the 1950s, Whistler officially became part of the City of Prichard. This is why Whistler now shares Prichard's 36612 ZIP code. When Whistler joined Prichard, many street names had to be changed. This was because some streets had the same name in both places. Also, Prichard wanted its street names to continue smoothly into the new areas.
When Whistler and another nearby community called Eight Mile joined Prichard, it made Prichard's population grow a lot. Prichard reached its highest population ever at that time, with 47,371 people.
People from Whistler
Many interesting people have connections to Whistler:
- Ethel Ayler: A talented actress.
- Casey Jones: A legendary railroad engineer. He was baptized in Whistler's St. Bridget Church.
- Ellis Lankster: An American football player who played as a cornerback for the New York Jets.
- Billy Williams: A famous baseball player for the Chicago Cubs. He is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. His nickname was "Sweet Swingin' Billy from Whistler."
