Malbis, Alabama
Unincorporated community
Malbis, Alabama is located in Alabama
Malbis, Alabama
Malbis, Alabama
Location within the state of Alabama
Malbis, Alabama is located in the United States
Malbis, Alabama
Malbis, Alabama
Malbis, Alabama (the United States)
Coordinates: 30°39′21″N 87°51′07″W / 30.65583°N 87.85194°W / 30.65583; -87.85194
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyBaldwin
Elevation
197 ft (60 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
36526 (Daphne), 36527 (Spanish Fort)
Area code251
GNIS feature ID0156648
Website
Malbis Plantation
Malbis, Alabama is located in Alabama
Malbis, Alabama
Location10145 US 90
Nearest cityDaphne and Spanish Fort, Alabama, U.S.
Built1906
NRHP reference No.11000238[1]
Added to NRHPMay 10, 2011
DesignatedSeptember 25, 2008[2]

Malbis is an unincorporated community in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. The community lies at the crossroads of U.S. 90 and Alabama State Route 181 just south of I-10. Portions of the settlement are today within the city limits of both Daphne and Spanish Fort. The city of Loxley lies to the east.

Malbis is considered a community or populated place but is not identified in the United States Census. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The Malbis Plantation was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in May 2011.

History

Malbis Memorial Church, built in honor of Jason Malbis

Known originally as the Malbis Plantation, the settlement was founded in 1906 by Jason Malbis. Malbis was a Greek philanthropist born in Doumena, Greece as Antonius Markopoulos. Malbis had been an Orthodox monk[3] before coming to the United States to investigate the condition of fellow Greeks who had immigrated to the US.[4] He changed his name to Jason Malbis and migrated south to Alabama.

While traveling through Alabama, Malbis became enamored with Baldwin County and purchased the land that would become the Greek colony.[5] The community was populated for many years mostly by those of either secular or religious Greek heritage.[6] The Malbis Memorial Church, a Greek Orthodox church, was built by the settlers and still stands today.

The community once included the Malbis Bakery, an ice plant, plant nursery, cannery, hotels, restaurants, its own power plant, turpentine, dairy, lumber, water towers and many acres of farmland. During the peak of the colony's success, the economy was largely based upon providing table food to nearby Mobile, Alabama.[5] Much of the land was sold for commercial development, including a 500-acre (2.0 km2) soybean field, which is currently covered by a large retail shopping mall known as Eastern Shore Centre.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 5/09/11 through 5/13/11". National Park Service. March 16, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage Listings as of April 7, 2023" (PDF). ahc.alabama.gov. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Roy Hoffman (March 13, 2010). "The Jewel of Malbis". Mobile Register. Mobile, Alabama. p. 1D.
  4. ^ Scott, Florence; Scott, Richard (1965). "Daphne". Mobile, Alabama: Jordan Publishing Company: 175. ((cite journal)): Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ a b Burnett, Jr., O. Lawrence (2006). "Coastal Kingdom". Baltimore: PUBLISHAMERICA, LLLP: 285. ((cite journal)): Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ Henderson, Russ (September 11, 2008). "Malbis plantation 'matriarch' Bessie Papas dies at 98". Press-Register. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  7. ^ Henderson, Russ (September 12, 2008). "The last of Malbis' original settlers dies". Press Register (Mobile, Alabama). Press Register. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2008.
  8. ^ Henderson, Russ (May 31, 2008). "Malbis family mourns". Press Register. Mobile, Alabama.
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