Foley, Alabama – (OBA) – Visitors to Foley will have the chance to explore over a century of local history through walking tours of the city's downtown historic district in April. As part of a statewide initiative, Foley is one of more than 20 Alabama communities offering free walking tours on each Saturday of the month throughout April.

The tours, which begin at 10 a.m. and last around one hour, will highlight historic areas of the city that date back to the early 1900s. Led by local community members, the walks cover about five city blocks and will begin at the Foley Welcome Center at the intersection of Alabama 59 and U.S. 98.

The Welcome Center building, which was once the Foley Public Library and later housed the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, became the city Welcome Center in 2013. From there, the tour will continue to the L&N Railroad Depot, which was built in 1909 and served as a center of commerce and travel in South Baldwin for over 60 years. Today, the restored building is a city museum.

Other highlights of the tours include Centennial Plaza, the Holk Building, Magnolia Hotel, Holmes Medical Museum – the site of Baldwin County's first hospital – Foley Hotel building, and other historic sites in the downtown area.

The Alabama Department of Tourism organizes the tours each year, with Alabama being the only state to conduct simultaneous statewide tours. For more information about the Foley walking tours, contact the Foley Welcome Center at 251-943-1200.

Foley has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1905 by John B. Foley of Chicago. With the arrival of the L&N Railroad the same year, the city grew rapidly, becoming a hub of commerce and travel in South Baldwin County. Today, Foley continues to thrive, while still preserving its historic charm and character.