Over the three decades, Claudia Slaughter Campbell said a lot has changed at Fort Mims, but their goal remains the same.

“We’re doing all we can to let people know about this life-changing historical event,” Campbell said. “Fort Mims isn’t just a part of our local history – it’s a major part of Alabama history and had repercussions on the national level as well.”

The historic Fort Mims reenactment will celebrate its 30th anniversary this Saturday, and Campbell said she and the other volunteers are prepared for a large turnout.

“We have descendants coming in from across the United States, as well as people from across our region who just want to learn more about our local history,” Campbell said.

With 30 years of reenactments to look back on, Campbell said it has become a legacy for many families to participate, including her own.

“Many of us died here when we were young people,” Campbell joked. “And now we’ve got kids and grandkids that are taking part in the reenactment and dying here, too.”

Campbell said there can’t be enough said about the team of volunteers and board members who help bring the event together.

“The whole event is through the work and efforts of our volunteer team, with a massive amount of support from the county,” Campbell said.

She said over the last few decades, many improvements have been made to the site, including the construction and completion of the historically accurate stockade, which never fails to impress visitors.

For Campbell, the completion of the stockade was something that was a strong part of a family legacy.

“My family are Fort Mims descendants and my mother, June Slaughter, has supported the fort since I was born,” Campbell said. “To get to see her put in the golden spike at the end of the stockade wall when it was finished was a touching moment.”

Campbell said that over the last 30 years of reenactments, they have worked hard to make the experience more historically accurate.

“We’ve tried to become as historically accurate as we possibly can with all of this,” Campbell said. “With our costumes and with our weaponry, we want to present what life was like back in the early 1800s as best we can.”

Campbell said she encourages everyone who can to make it out for the event Saturday, especially families with children.

“We owe it to our children and grandchildren to help them learn about the history of this area and this state,” Campbell said. “We have a responsibility to teach them this because if we don’t, it can be forgotten and the legacy we’ve tried to preserve here will just end.”