The final installation in a three-part series on historical, cultural, and natural points of interest in Baldwin County.

It is late January and the streets and roadways of Foley and Gulf Shores abound with snowbirds buzzing about taking in all the sites and events within a few miles of the beach area. The extreme northern portion of Baldwin County witnesses little of this activity, but it holds some of the most intriguing destination points of all. This part of the county is rich in its history and offers the beauty and natural elegance of the Mobile Tensaw delta. And until now, at least among visiting snowbirds, the area has remained an untapped treasure.

Bicentennial Park

Located two miles south of Stocktonon State Highway 225, Baldwin County’s Bicentennial Park gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy the natural attributes of the Mobile/Tensaw River Delta as they take in the beauty of the two-mile walking trail within the park. Several varieties of unique, indigenous vegetation can be viewed along the trail that skirts along the delta wetlands. The nearly 400 acres within the site offer visitors a distinctive glimpse into north Baldwin’s past.

At present the park provides educational opportunities into the area’s Native American culture circa 1780s through the reconstruction of a period trading post. The waddle and daub winter homes that served the local population in the transitional period between traditional construction and that of the European settler are represented at the park. Large picnic pavilions are available for weddings, family reunions, and school outings. In addition, educational programs aimed at historical interpretation and at better understanding the natural attributes of the delta are available. Tours can be arranged through the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History by calling 251-580-1897.

Future plans for the park include a 19^th century village interpreting the early cultural development in Baldwin County and a 19^th century working farm as a means of interpreting the agricultural roots of the area.

For more information on the park and what it has to offer call 251-580-1897 or email Archives Director John A. Jackson at jjackson@baldwincountyal.gov.

Fort Mims

In August 1813, Fort Mims became the site of a major skirmish between the Red Stick Creek Indians and settlers in the Tensaw Country of North Baldwin County. The battle initiated the conflict between the Red Stick Creek Indians and the United States, which eventually led to their defeat and ultimate removal from the Southeast.  On August 30, 1813, a band of 700 Red Stick Creek Indians destroyed Fort Mims and killed about 250 of those defending the stronghold. The attack outraged the U.S. public, which prompted military action against the Creek Nation. The struggle, which pitted the militaristic faction of the Creek Nation against white settlers and the southeastern militia forces, became part of the overall War of 1812 that saw the United States ultimately prevail against the British.

In many ways, the battle at Fort Mims was a Creek civil war because of the mixed relations of whites and Creeks on both sides of the conflict. For example, the 700 Red Stick Creeks that spearheaded the attack were led by William Weatherford, who was part Creek, while Dixon Bailey, one of the most noted defenders of the fort, was Creek. In the end, the Creek Nation as a whole was the loser of the conflict.  On March 27, 1814, at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Andrew Jackson led military forces in a final victory against the Red Sticks, ending the Creek War and the Creek domination of the American Southeast.

During the last weekend in August each year, the Fort Mims Restoration Association commemorates the 1813 battle that changed history. In a weekend-long event, the fight is re-enacted and people come together to immerse themselves in one of the earliest events in the settlement of Baldwin County. The fort site is located off State Highway 59 in the Tensaw Community just north of County Road 80. For more information on visiting the site or details on the annual event, visit the Fort Mims Restoration Association website at www.fortmims.org.

William Weatherford

The gravesite of one of the most prominent figures in the Creek War of 1813-14 lies in north Baldwin County off County Road 84, which is located just off the main north/south route of State Highway 59 in the Tensaw Community. William Weatherford was a member of the Wind Clan of the Creek Nation, making him closely related to many well-known Creek leaders, including Alexander McGillivray and William McIntosh.

In 1813, during the tumultuous time that divided the Creeks between traditionalists and those who had adopted European traditions, Weatherford became a very vocal and active supporter of the militant Red Stick faction. Weatherford subsequently led the attack on Fort Mims and in battles along the Alabama and Tallapoosa River valleys. 

Weatherford eventually surrendered to Andrew Jackson, ending his part in the Red Stick military campaign. He then retired to plantation life in south Alabama, where he died in 1824. The Weatherford gravesite can be visited daily and contains the final resting places for Weatherford and his mother, Sehoy III as well. For more information about the location of the site, William Weatherford and his contributions to local history, please call the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History at 251-580-1897.