GULF SHORES, Ala. — When most people think about Gulf Shores today, the first things that come to mind are the beautiful beaches and high-rise condos that have made the city a renowned tourist destination.

Few people know about the people and structures that populated the area before 50 or 60 years ago.

One such home was recently honored by the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission with a plaque commemorating it as a historical structure.

The Callaway-Amacker Home was built by Joe Callaway in 1908 for his new bride, Mabel Styron Callaway.

A ceremony and open house for friends and family members was held Sunday to commemorate the designation.

According to the Callaway’s granddaughter Joy Robinson, the home was typical for this area during that time.

“Every home from 100 years ago had to have a ‘gallery’ for people to sit and visit in the evenings,” she said. “It also had two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen.”

Robinson said the original shingles on the cottage-style wood frame home were cut from cypress trees that were plentiful around Oyster Bay 100 years ago.

“They were happy to move into their own home with feather beds, a fireplace and a wood stove,” she said.

The couple lived in the home, on what is known now as East Ridge Road, for more than 60 years until Joe’s death in 1970.

Mabel continued to live in the home for a few years, and died in 1979. After her death, the home passed to the Callaway’s son, Laurence “Bunny” Callaway and his wife Midge, who sold the home to current owners Mark and Amy Amacker in 1981.

According to Lillian Bemis, the daughter of “Bunny” and Midge, it was one of her mother’s most enduring wishes to see her grandparents’ home designated as a historical landmark.

“She spoke to Amy (Amacker) about it and Amy ran with it and went through all the red tape to get it done,” Bemis said.

The Historic Development Commission approved the designation on April 14.

According to Commission records, the Callaway-Amacker home is only the third in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area to have been granted historic status.

The other two are the Orrell/Burnett home on Baldwin County 6, built in 1900 and the Dunkin Cottage on Bay Circle in Orange Beach, which was built in 1925.

“It’s too bad the designation wasn’t approved until after her (Midge) death (in November 2008), but I think it is a special honor,” Bemis said.

“You just don’t see many 100-year-old buildings down here, especially ones that have been lived in continuously for that period of time.”