Lacy Charm in Old Mobile: The Historic Cast Iron of Alabama's First City

Visitors frequently refer to Mobile's historic ironwork as wrought iron, but the majority of it is cast iron. Cast iron, cheap and easy to produce in an infinite variety of shapes and designs, captured the imagination of nineteenth-century tastemakers seeking dramatic effect. Virtually every American city accessible by water had some ornamental cast iron, but it was nowhere more exuberantly employed than in the Deep South, particularly the Gulf ports, where wooden structures too rapidly succumbed to the semitropical climate.

Whether locally designed and manufactured or imported from big East Coast foundries, Mobile's nineteenth-century ornamental ironwork nicely exhibits the era's diverse aesthetic tastes. A Greek Revival gate, a Gothic-accented cemetery fence, a town house verandah with arabesque patterns, a plashing fountain distinguished by satyr's faces—Mobilians' enthusiasm for the practical advantages and decorative delights of these things flourished until the turn of the twentieth century.

Today, after decades of indifference and neglect, Mobilians once again appreciate the historic ironwork in their midst. Restored balconies are more popular than ever with residents, office workers, diners, and Mardi Gras revelers eager to take in the passing scene; fluted lamps illumine downtown streets; and venerable fences, gates, and statuary gleam with fresh coats of paint. Though a heartbreaking amount of Mobile's ornamental ironwork has been lost or stolen over the years, what remains continues to fascinate visitors and residents alike.