For the past seven years, the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History has worked with area residents and through the auspices of the Baldwin County Commission to preserve the history of Baldwin County and of the residents that make this area unique.

At Baldwin County’s Bicentennial Park, that effort has manifested itself through the preservation of historic structures and the re-creation of structures that represent the cultural heritage of the county. These conservation programs have taken place within the Bicentennial Park, which is located in the Stockton community just off State Highway 225, north of the I-65 interchange. The 367-acre park is dedicated to the legacy of the county’s 200^th birthday and is for residents to enjoy.   

At present, the park maintains a historic store that was relocated from Lower Bryant’s Landing, a 19th century Indian Lifestyles Exhibit that includes a trade house, winter houses, a re-creation of a 19th century blacksmith shop and a ¼ scale replica of a Civil War water battery from Spanish Fort.

The country store was moved the short distance from Lower Bryant’s Landing in 2009 as a means of saving a representative piece of history that has touched the lives of most people living along the delta, and ultimately throughout the entire county. The country store, as many can remember, served the needs of county residents who lived in outlying areas well into the 20th century. It is completely furnished with items that customers could have purchased at their local country store around the turn of the 20th century.

The 19th century blacksmith shop and the Indian Lifestyles Exhibit are recreations that allow hands-on educational opportunities for visitors. The blacksmith shop represents a component of the proposed 19th century village planned for Bicentennial Park. Local members of a blacksmith organization run the facility one weekend day each month, teaching blacksmithing techniques and demonstrating to the public. The facility has a fully functional forge and is a fantastic way to understand a skill that was an integral part of the 19^th century world.

The Indian Lifestyles Exhibit offers visitors to Bicentennial Park an opportunity to examine the long lost world of the Native American at a time of transition from a traditional lifestyle to one more akin to that of European immigrants to the region.

A replica of the defensive position occupied by the Confederate forces at Spanish Fort is underway now with a completion date set for late October. The ¼ scale water battery will allow visitors to closely examine the experience of the soldier during the last weeks of the American Civil War.

Originally built in 1781 by Spanish troops, the site will replicate a ¼ scale of the earthworks in their original format. This will allow opportunity for visitors to see artillery demonstrations, the life of a civil war soldier as well as understand help them understand the “Mobile Defenses” in Baldwin County and their importance to many civilian dwellings and enterprises. This portion of the park would be used extensively by accredited living historian volunteers to engage and interface students and visitors to further their knowledge of the American Civil War.

One of the most exciting efforts at Bicentennial Park will be the move of the historic Montpelier Methodist Church from Blacksher to the park during the upcoming fiscal year. Thanks to a gracious donation of the structure from Thomas John Earle and family, the historic church will be moved to the park, and Baldwin County residents can enjoy it for years to come. The church, built in the 19th century, was once attended and maintained by the Earle and Bradley families, although it no longer serves an active congregation. At one point during the church’s active period, it served as the home of the annual district meetings of the local Methodist churches. The church, when moved, will become a cornerstone of the proposed 19th century village.