The Alabama Historical Commission honored Claudia Campbell with a Distinguished Service Award for her steadfast and unrelenting leadership with the preservation and promotion of Fort Mims.

Campbell personally received the award at the 2014 Alabama Preservation Conference, held in Muscle Shoals this April.

 A native of Baldwin County, Claudia’s connection with Fort Mims runs beyond a casual interest.

Her family lineage can be traced to many of the original settlers of Tensaw and north Baldwin County, many of whom were involved in the bloody conflict at Fort Mims on August 30, 1813.

First as a concerned descendant and later as the President and co-founder of the Fort Mims Restoration Association, Campbell has dedicated most of her life to restoring the historic site to a condition reflecting the importance of the historic actions that took place in 1813.

 Over the course of the restoration of Fort Mims, Campbell has overseen and participated in the removal of debris from the site, the recreation of the fort walls, the promotion of countless events, the procurement of a blockhouse, and fundraising.

But perhaps one of Claudia’s greatest contributions has been her exhaustive effort to reconnect descendants to the historic site.

Last year alone, over 500 living descendants from the conflict were on site for a family reunion atmosphere to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the conflict in 1813.

 Campbell has taken it upon herself and challenged the Fort Mims Restoration Association, descendants, and volunteers in Baldwin County to tell the story of Fort Mims in an accurate way that both encourages preservation of the site and serves to educate the public.