Area code 251 covers southwestern Alabama, including the city of Mobile and the Gulf Coast region (cities like Daphne, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, as well as inland communities like Monroeville). It was created on June 18, 2001, when it split off from area code 334 to give the rapidly growing Mobile and Baldwin County area its own telephone code. The 251 territory encompasses Alabama’s only seaport at Mobile and the surrounding coastal communities, which are popular for beaches and tourism. Culturally, the 251 region is notable for Mobile’s Mardi Gras – the oldest organized Carnival celebration in the United States, dating back to 1703 – highlighting the unique heritage of the area. Today, residents of Mobile and its suburbs identify strongly with the 251 code, and the area’s economy and culture (from shipbuilding to seafood and festivities) are tightly interwoven with this coastal calling code