FORT TOULOUSE 300TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

10/20/17

For Immediate Release
October 20, 2017
 
Alabama Frontier Days
Wednesday, November 1 – Saturday, November 4
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, Wetumpka, Alabama

Visit Fort Toulouse Saturday, November 4 during the annual Alabama Frontier Days and help celebrate the 300th anniversary.

Fort Toulouse, a historic property of the Alabama Historical Commission, began its service as a frontier outpost for the French in 1717. The motivation for its establishment was the Yamasee War of 1715-1716, a conflict between local Indian tribes and South Carolina colonists that forced all British traders out of present-day Alabama. The fort, named for Adm. Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, Count of Toulouse, was initially constructed to extend the political, economic, and military reach of the French, who were based in Mobile.

Fort Toulouse acted as a commercial, religious, and diplomatic center for the French from 1717 until 1763. The fort also provided a permanent locale where French merchants could trade their goods with the Creeks for deerskins, thus strengthening the relationship between the two trading partners. Fort Toulouse is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in Alabama.

The Fort Toulouse site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and the Alabama Historical Commission gained possession of it in 1971. Since then, teams of professional archaeologists have excavated the site and uncovered nearly the entire foundation of the third Fort Toulouse designed and rebuilt in 1751. Now known as Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, the site hosts various events on most weekends from the spring to mid fall, with living history demonstrations that recreate French, Native American, and colonial American life on the frontier.

What to do

Beginning at 10:30 a.m. on November 4, special activities will include the unveiling of markers outlining a portion of the original 1717 fort. Also, a short dramatic presentation will bring to life the moment French marines first met the Alabama Indians.

Using Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park as its historical backdrop, Alabama Frontier Days focuses on demonstrating frontier life in the southeast during the period 1700-1820. The public can experience this history as frontier trades and crafts are demonstrated by living historians in period clothing. The event takes place over four days, November 1 to 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.

Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for children (6-18 years old) and free for children under six.  Vendors will be selling food onsite throughout the event.  

Find Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park on Facebook or visit ahc.alabama.gov.

For more information contact Ove Jensen at ove.jensenahc@gmail.com or 334-567-3002

Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park is operated by the Alabama Historical Commission and is located at 2521 West Fort Toulouse Road, 2 miles west of U.S. Highway 231.


About the Alabama Historical Commission
Located in historic downtown Montgomery at 468 S. Perry Street, the Alabama Historical Commission is the state historic preservation agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission through two fields of endeavor: Preservation and promotion of state-owned historic sites as public attractions; and, statewide programs to assist people, groups, towns, and cities with local preservation activities. For a complete list of programs and properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of operation, and admission fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov  

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