FOLEY — Honoring the late John McClure Snook, founder of Gulf Telephone and owner of Hotel Magnolia, a 28-foot-long and 8-foot-tall mural has been unveiled at 106 N. Alston St., paying tribute to McClure's love for cats.

At his hotel, there were multiple cat doors for the city cats to come and go. McClure also extended his love for these furry friends by opening a house downtown specifically for these cats.

Coming up with a name for a walkway that was in remembrance of McClure was easy for those involved. This walkway, between West Laurel Avenue and Jessamine Street, would be named Cat Alley.

Out of 12 submissions, local artist Hannah Legg, a graduate of Fairhope High School, was chosen to create the mural. When she found out this mural was going to include cats, she was all in.

"My grandfather was an artist, so I was very fortunate to grow up around art at an early age. All the happiness in the world was a pencil and a piece of paper," the artist said.

She added that cats were the first subjects she began drawing early in her art career.

Legg has completed around 10 to 15 murals within the past five years, most being in restaurants owned by "Panini" Pete Blohme, and she said she is thankful to be able to turn her passion for art into a career.

"I am very lucky to be able to grow this into a career because not a lot of people get that chance, but it's really fun," Legg said.

Legg was not the only one to use brush strokes on the seven panels in Cat Alley. Three groups from Foley High School, Foley Middle School and Foley home schoolers added color and life to this Cat Alley art.

Within the seven panels are recreational tings to do in Foley, such as a rollercoaster at OWA Parks and Resort, a depiction of Rose Trail, scenes from Graham Creek Nature Preserve, representations of sports tourism, trains featured at the Foley Railroad Museum & Model Train Exhibit, and, of course, five cats are painted into the mix.

On July 11, Legg and multiple attendees were able to see the complete mural. Children who used their creative skills to help with the mural smiled ear to ear as they saw their finished work displayed.

This mural is the latest addition to a three-phase installation of public art in downtown Foley.

Foley City Council approved $48,600 in January to use for enhancements to the alley to create murals and park areas. Doors will also be painted as part of the display, and the artist Arcy this spring created a mural, painting it live on site in April for the public to watch.