Foley, Alabama was named after John B. Foley of Chicago. It began in 1901 when Mr. Foley was traveling by rail to attend the funeral of President McKinley. A railroad agent had told him about the area and he felt the need to travel to Baldwin County and check it out. He was so impressed that he purchased between 40,000 and 50,000 acres of land. Mr. Foley went back to his home in Chicago and formed Magnolia Land Company so he could start selling parcels of the land. Then it dawned on him that the area needed an easier way to get there so he used some of his own money to lay the rails for a train to come to Bay Minette. As the area grew, Mr. Foley personally donated some of his land to schools and churches. By 1915 the area had grown to a point that it was in need of a post office, thus the City of Foley was born on January 8, 1915.
Now in 2015 Foley has an estimated population of 15,818 that is a combination of people from all 50 states that have made Foley their home. This population also includes people from 19 foreign countries that chose to become U.S. citizens and live in Foley.
As a tribute for reaching the centennial, the city gave a gift to the residents of Foley for all to enjoy: a clock tower placed in the heart of downtown. The new clock tower features a 32-brass bell carillon that is also capable of playing 10,000 songs. The bells will ring every hour and the music will play every half hour.
In light of all the negative events happening around the country that plague the news, it is always refreshing to hear about the positive mile markers that make us proud of our country. Let freedom ring – every hour!
