History Comes Alive

History comes alive at Fort Toulouse

STORY BY AMY PASSARETTI PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

The French and Indian War Encampment at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson features period reenactors

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and stay-at-home orders were in effect, Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson became a valuable outdoor space for families to enjoy. The Wetumpka-based historic site offers campgrounds, hiking trails, an arboretum, picnic areas and is rife with history and culture.

“Our importance as a green space really picked up, especially in the first few months of people having to stay at home or be outside,” Fort Toulouse director Ove Jensen said. “We saw an increase in daily visitation, with people being able to enjoy a place to get out and walk.”

In particular, the picnic tables and campground were used the most. During 2021, roughly 23,000 people came through the park. In comparison, during Alabama Frontier Days, the park sees 12,000 visitors in the fourday period alone.

Fort Toulouse’s two annual reenactments account for nearly 25% of its yearly visitation numbers and are its keystone, bread-andbutter events. During 2020 and 2021, Alabama Frontier Days and the French and Indian War Encampment did not take place, but Jensen is thrilled to bring history back to life this year.

“April 2022 was the first significant living history event since 2019,” he said. “It was a very pleasant turnout and one of the best events I experienced in eight years.”

The French and Indian War Encampment welcomes nationwide visitors as well as reenactors who present an authentic look into the culture of pioneer life. In 1717, Fort

Demonstrations include activities that occurred in the late 1700s, early 1800s

Toulouse served as the easternmost outpost of the French colony of Louisiana. Entanglements between the British and French rivalries eventually led to the French and Indian War in 1754.

Between 1717 and 1763, the French built three forts in succession, the Coosa River washing away the first two. Some of the very first farms in Alabama around Fort Toulouse were created by French soldiers and their families.

During April’s event, Jensen said there were roughly 80 of its normal 100 reenactors, as many are elderly and still afraid to travel and gather in large groups.

Jensen said he is cautiously optimistic as he plans for November’s Alabama Frontier Days. In a typical year, the four-day event, reenacting daily activities, tools, weapons, housing and events that occurred during the War of 1812, would see upward of 12,000 attendees. It also draws more than 200 reenactors, with at least half coming from outside Alabama.

“I truly think it will take place, but I am a little concerned about gas prices because we get a lot of outof-town visitors,” Jensen said.

Increased gas prices, as well as inflation, could also have a negative impact on school field trips, which make up the bulk of November’s visitors.

Last fall, Fort Toulouse staff began slowly re-introducing smaller living history activities to ease back into a full, “normal” 2022. Jensen said they attempted to do some virtual programming as well, but it took longer than expected to get that up and running.

“At this point though, the longer lasting effect of virtual programming, in particular for historic sites and natural and cultural sites, are going to be something more serious,” he said. “In the next two to three years, we plan to develop our virtual programming in a way we never really thought to do prior.”

Also moving into the future, park staff has begun rehabilitation of its Williams Park Nature Trail — built in 1980 and in disrepair — as well as adding an interpretive element with educational signage. Signs will include information such as native flora and fauna and what the Alabama forest looked like to up 300 years ago versus today.

Plans are also in the works to rehabilitate the park, campground bath house and park restroom building. With the cost of supplies and labor skyrocketing, and shortage of construction materials a reality, it could be a few years out before these projects are completed.

“Projects that would normally take six months, seem to be more like 18 months now,” Jensen said.

The benefit for the state-operated Fort Toulouse is that most of its operating expenses and special projects are state-funded. While admission fees and donations play a role, park staff does not rely on them to keep its doors open.

“Admission fees, campground fees, just make life a little better,” Jensen said.

Visitors can access the park at 2521 W. Fort Toulouse Rd. in Wetumpka seven days per week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit fttoulousejackson.org.

Reenactors travel from all over the country to participate annually