Octavia’s Mobile: A Walking Tour Through Time

Step back into the elegance and grandeur of antebellum Mobile with Octavia’s Mobile, a unique historical walking tour led by renowned historian and guide Paula Webb. This immersive experience transports you to the 19th century through the eyes of Octavia Walton LeVert, one of Mobile’s most famous and influential citizens. As a celebrated socialite, writer, and intellectual, Octavia hosted prominent figures of her time, from literary greats to political leaders, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s cultural landscape.

Tour Highlights:

• The LeVert House Site: Although her once-grand home no longer stands, Paula Webb will bring it to life with vivid descriptions of the lavish salons where Octavia entertained the elite of Mobile society.
• Government Street Stroll: Walk along this historic thoroughfare, where Octavia would have ridden in carriages, attended grand balls, and engaged in lively intellectual discussions with Mobile’s high society.
• Bienville Square: Experience the heart of 19th-century Mobile, where Octavia and her contemporaries would have gathered for social events, public speeches, and leisurely strolls under the oak trees.
• Historic Church Street Graveyard: Visit one of Mobile’s oldest cemeteries, where many of Octavia’s contemporaries rest, and hear stories of the people who shaped the city during her lifetime.
• The Old City Hall (Southern Market): Learn about Mobile’s bustling commerce and how the city thrived as a cultural and economic hub in Octavia’s era.
• Lost & Forgotten Landmarks: Discover the vanished theaters, grand hotels, and literary salons that once made Mobile a vibrant center of Southern intellectual and social life.

Throughout the journey, Paula Webb will share diary excerpts, letters, and historical anecdotes to provide a deeply personal and engaging portrait of Octavia Walton LeVert’s world. Through her eyes, you’ll experience Mobile as it was—a city of elegance, ambition, and transformation.

Join us for Octavia’s Mobile and walk the streets of history, rediscovering the lost beauty and spirit of antebellum Mobile.