J:
O.K. , here's my latest pitch for promoting D.I. Heritage.
The SAND ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE is THE ICONIC SYMBOL OF D.I. HERITAGE.
Right across the channel is REVENUE POINT.
http://alabamalighthouse.blogspot.com/2007/09/revenue-point-at-sand-island-lighthouse.html
(VERY, VERY IMPORTANT: DON'T TELL ANYBODY WHAT WE'RE DOING!!!!!)
With Gulf Shores/Orange Beach we start THE SMUGGLER'S TRAIL.(theme song: Buffett's A PIRATE LOOKS AT 40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vcW5S3tTnw )
It'll go from D.I. to Mobile Point, to Navy Cove, to Bon Secour, up the Bon Secour River, the portage to Portage Creek, LuLu's on the Intracoastal (dredged portion of Portage Creek) , to Bear Point, to Innerarity Point and then into Pensacola via Big Lagoon and Ft. Barrancas.
We promote SMUGGLERS; not Pirates. (PENSACOLA NEEDED MOBILE. Mobile did not need Pensacola)
In preparation we get ALL EXISTING D.I. CELEBRATIONS to incorporate our 300 years of heritage into their annual themes.
Now you're paying out good money to P.R. firms. Get them to contact ALL DESCENDANTS OF THE D.I. STREET TITLE NAMESAKES. (we do this prior to the 2018 N.O. Tricentennial and 2019 Alabama Bicentennial)
THE ULTIMATE DESCENDANT IS QUEEN ELIZABETH (ALL OF HER GREAT GRANDCHILDREN ARE DESCENDED FROM THE SPENCERS [see Spencer for Battle of N.O. ~
THEME SONG: WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn8aruzfRAA&list=PLPY3pdOBSbpj_4Zel2qeWt-OPpUJdL6yI&index=37]
(One mo' agin': DON'T TELL ANYBODY WHAT WE'RE DOING)
N.O. was founded in 1718 because of D.I.'s 1717 hurricane which CLOSED THE HARBOR AND THE CHANNEL TO MOBILE!!!!)
Bust out SMUGGLER'S TRAIL in 2018.
All my other suggestions about ARMCHAIR ADMIRAL OF D.I. based on street name quiz still stands. It will teach all the citizens a CIVIC LESSON & ESTABLISH A D.I. HERITAGE VOCABULARY (as in: THE FIRST PORT OF OLD LOUISIANA).
Best,
r
P.S.
DAUPHIN ISLAND: AMERICA'S MOST HISTORIC GULF ISLAND