09/18/2026
We love our small town!!!
One of Baldwin County's Small Towns Is Getting a Big Investment
Elberta doesn't get nearly as much attention as Gulf Shores, Orange Beach or Foley.
But there's a lot happening in this little Baldwin County town.
In August, Alabama announced that Elberta will receive $1.6 million in GoMESA funding for improvements to its public park.
That's a substantial investment for a community the size of Elberta.
And it isn't the only new money headed that direction.
Another $660,000 was awarded to the Perdido Bay Water, Sewer and Fire Protection District for an Elberta Youth Sportsplex and Hurricane Protection Project.
Combined, that's more than $2.2 million in the latest round of coastal funding tied directly to projects carrying Elberta's name.
The park itself sits right in the community and already includes recreational space and the familiar gazebo that locals recognize.
Elberta is one of those places that reminds you Baldwin County isn't only beaches and condos.
The town was incorporated in 1952, but its roots stretch much further back. Today it may be best known outside the immediate area for the Elberta German Sausage Festival, a tradition that brings huge crowds into a town that's normally much quieter.
And while nearby Foley and the beach communities continue expanding at a remarkable pace, Elberta still feels different.
Smaller.
More rural.
More like the Baldwin County many longtime residents remember.
That's why investments like this are worth watching.
Big coastal funding announcements often focus on boat ramps, wetlands or projects directly beside the Gulf.
This time, some of that money is heading into a small-town public park.
The coast isn't just the beach.
It's the communities behind it too.
