In 1775, English botanist William Bartram made a trip to Citronelle to secure leaves of the collinsonia canadensis, which is a citronella plant used in tea that was believed to have curative powers over fever. English settlers came to Citronelle in 1811 and the town flourished when the Ohio and Mobile Railroad arrived in 1851. Northerners seeking cures for contagious diseases came to Citronelle’s hotels built near the town’s springs.

Today, the Citronelle Walking Trail takes you by the restored train depot and the adjacent Hygeia Cottage, the only survivor of the town’s famous hotels. The walk itself bears the stamp of the railroad as it follows the old railroad bed north to south through town. The trail surface is asphault and is approximately 3 miles in length. Courtesy: American Trails