How Silverhill lives up to its small-town slogan
Reading time: 4 minutes
Baldwin County is Alabama’s largest county by total area, but within that large area sits the small town of Silverhill.
Home to roughly 926 residents, Silverhill maintains its small-town charm — with the town’s welcome signs declaring it “A Good Place to Live.” It was established in 1896 and officially incorporated in 1926.
Keep reading to learn more about Baldwin County’s smallest town’s history + features!
The history behind Silverhill
Silverhill was first founded by Oscar Johnson, an immigrant from Sweden, in 1896 as part of the Svea Land Company of Chicago. Within the following decades, Swede and Czech settlers traveled from all over the U.S. to Silverhill for its farming opportunities.
Despite the fact the town sits at the intersection of U.S. Highway 104 and Baldwin County Road 55, Silverhill’s town center — with its small shops, locally-owned produce/food businesses + professional service offices — remains relatively undisturbed.
Oscar Johnson Public Library
When founding Silverhill, Oscar Johnson constructed a land office in 1898. On Sunday’s, it was used as a church for various Swedish denominations. After its stint as a land office, the building was used as the town’s first schoolhouse.
That is, until the community began growing rapidly + the building could no longer hold the large amount of children in Silverhill. In October 1905, a new school building was completed.
Around the 1920s, the Non Pariel Club, a social club for the young women of Silverhill, began to move their collection of books for the public to borrow from the schoolhouse to the former land office building — marking the start of what is now known as the Oscar Johnson Memorial Library.
- Location: 21967 6th St., Silverhill, AL
- Hours: Mon. to Fri., 1:00PM – 4:30PM
The library features a variety of books + DVDs to borrow, as well as a small selection of used books for sale. Those that venture to the top floor of the library will be greeted by a collection of artifacts correlated to the town’s rich history.
Brodie’s Cream & Bean
Brodie’s Cream & Bean is located across from the Silverhill Town Hall, having moved to this location in 2022. The shop is a popular location for locals to grab a Fairhope Roasting Company coffee, a cup of Old Dutch ice cream or a good conversation.
- Location: 15950 AL-104, Silverhill, AL 36576
- Summer Hours (June + July only): Mon. to Sat., 10AM – 8:30PM
- Regular Hours: Mon. to Sat., 2PM – 8:30PM
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The Brodie’s family-owned ice cream + coffee shop contributes more than just sweet treats to the community — they’re a family with a cause.
Following a 2007 mission trip to Tanzania, Africa, Lisa Brodie searched for a way to assist those in Africa without access to clean water. In 2010, Lisa Brodie + her husband Curtis Brodie began a non-profit called Maji: Hope, with adult + student volunteers alike helping to raise money to drill wells as well as install pipes + pumps in Tanzania.
Lisa Brodie has formed relationships with the women in Tanzania who sell her their handmade items that she sells at Brodie’s Cream & Bean. All profits from the sales go toward supporting the cause of Maji: Hope.
Their ice cream shop features:
- Coffee drinks
- Frappes
- Malts + shakes
- Waffle cones
- Banana splits
Their gift shop side features:
- Jellies
- Jams
- Cutting boards
- Candles
- Clothing
- Home decor
- + more
Oscar Johnson Park
Silverhill’s park, named after the town’s founder, sits alongside State Highway 104. With a grill + covered picnic tables, the pavilion at the park is perfect for birthday parties + gatherings.
- Location: 16811 State Highway 104
- Hours: 7 days a week, 8AM – 5PM
- Website
The wooden playground has a variety of equipment for children to explore, while adjacent to the park is one of Baldwin County’s only covered bridges: the Watershed of Weeks Bay Covered Bridge.
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