Fort Conde Fort Conde , located in Mobile , Alabama , is a reconstruction , at 4 / 5 scale , as a third of the original 1720s French Fort Condé at the site . The original fort was also known as Fort Carlota under Spanish rule , and also Fort Charlotte under British and American rule . The current Fort Conde , spanning almost 1 / 3 of the original fort , was recreated at 4 / 5 - scale on the site . The new Fort Conde was opened on July 4 , 1976 , as part of Mobile ' s celebration of the United States bicentennial . The fort is located at 150 South Royal Street . History . Mobile was originally founded by Jean - Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville in 1702 as " Fort Louis de la Mobile " at 27 - Mile Bluff up river ( 27 miles [ 43 km ] from the mouth ) . After the Mobile River flooded and damaged the fort , Mobile was relocated in 1711 to the current site . A temporary wooden stockade fort was constructed , also named Fort Louis after the old fort up river . In 1723 , construction of a new brick fort with a stone foundation began , renamed later as " Fort Condé " in honor of King Louis XIV ’ s brother . Fort Condé guarded Mobile and its citizens for almost 100 years , from 1723 - 1820 . The fort had been built by the French to defend against British or Spanish attack on the strategic location of Mobile and its Bay as a port to the Gulf of Mexico , on the easternmost part of the French Louisiana colony . The strategic importance of Mobile and Fort Condé was significant : the fort protected access into the strategic region between the Mississippi River and the Atlantic colonies along the Alabama River and Tombigbee River . Fort Condé and its surrounding buildings covered about of land . It was constructed of local brick and stone , with earthen dirt walls , plus cedar wood . A crew of 20 black slaves and 5 white workmen performed original work on the fort . If the fort had been reconstructed full - size , it would cover large sections of Royal Street , Government Boulevard , Church , St . Emanuel , and Theatre Streets in downtown Mobile . The Fort Conde Village neighborhood , which now includes the Conde - Charlotte House historical museum , was constructed in 1822 - 1830s within the southern bastians of the original fort . During 1763 to 1780 , England was in possession of the region , and Fort Condé was renamed Fort Charlotte in honor of King George III ’ s wife . From 1780 to 1813 , Spain ruled the region , and the fort was renamed Fort Carlota . In 1813 , Mobile was occupied by United States troops , and the fort was renamed again as Fort Charlotte . In 1820 , the U . S . Congress authorized sale and removal of the fort because it was no longer needed for defense . Later , city funds paid for the demolition to allow new streets built eastward towards the river and southward . By late 1823 , most of the above - ground traces of Mobile ’ s fort were gone , leaving only underground structures . Original fort design . The original Fort Condé , from 1723 , was shaped in the form of a seven - pointed star , with guard towers raised at the points ( " see map image " ) with significant surrounding earth works . In design , it is similar to Spanish fort Castillo de San Marcos in St . Augustine , Florida . The settlement of Mobile ( French " " Mobille " " ) was aligned parallel to the Mobile River , rather than north / south , so that the fort faced somewhat northeast along an elevated bluff that was lined by " Royal Street " overlooking the marshland sloping down below . ( Even in contemporary Mobile , Royal Street is at higher elevation , with the newer streets of Water Street and Commerce Street [ not on 1725 map ] further down the slopes towards the Mobile River ) . Some buildings within the fort compound had the French Mansard roof style , with dormer windows extending from each roof ( " see enlarged building images below , or building profiles at top of 1725 map " ) . The tall chimneys at the ends of the buildings , shown in the map profile , were not used on the reconstructed Fort Condé . Also , the lengths of buildings were longer in the original fort , than represented in the 4 / 5 scale replica fort . The Mobile River is illustrated on the 1725 map with label " Riviere de la Mobille " as also using spelling " " Mobille " " . The map was drawn by Adrien de Pauger in 1725 . After Jean - Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville moved Mobile downriver in May 1711 ( following the death of his brother D ' Iberville in 1706 ) , he planned the next capital city ( after 1718 ) to be on the Mississippi River , in similar fashion to being on the Mobile River , and so Adrien de Pauger also designed the Vieux Carré in New Orleans , Louisiana , which was built from 1719 - 1722 . The ships of the original French settlers , sailing to Old Biloxi in 1699 , and later transfers , were staged through Dauphin Island ( south of Mobile Bay , which was not dredged for larger ships until many years later ) .