Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island is a barrier island[?] in the Gulf of Mexico, lying just off the Alabama coast and whose eastern end helps define the mouth of Mobile Bay. The eastern, wider portion of the island is shaded by thick stands of pine trees, but the narrow, western part of the island features scrub growth and few trees. Shell middens found on the island attest to occupation or at least visitation by Native Americans in prehistoric times. Fort Gaines[?] on the eastern tip of the island saw action during the Battle of Mobile Bay[?] in the American Civil War. The island today is home to a marine sciences laboratory and numerous private homes. Beaches attract some tourism and fishing is a popular activity in the waters around the island. There is also a bird sanctuary; Dauphin Island is the first land encountered by many birds as they migrate north from South America, and as a consequence many species can be found resting here before continuing their journey. A bridge connecting the island to the mainland across Dauphin Island Sound was built in the 1950s; it was heavily damanged by Hurricane Frederic in 1979 but was rebuilt.

Dauphin Island is also the name of an incorporated community (Town of Dauphin Island) that is situated on the island.