Gulf Coast History Adventures Brings History Alive in an Unforgettable Way!

Discover, explore and experience Gulf Coast History in a new and exciting way! Imagine your students learning to seine the lagoons for fish, shrimp and crab like the Native Americans did for centuries. Identify and dig for sea turtle eggs on the beach like the early settlers. Walk through the dunes and maritime forests to experience what life was like collecting foods and medicines from the coastal environment. Hands-on experiential learning leaves a deep and lasting impression on your students.

Students will love getting wet and sandy as they walk through the different ecosystems. They will learn to use tools and equipment that the early inhabitants used to sustain their way of life.

We will take a night walk on the beach to experience what early explorers saw and felt when their ships landed in this area for the first time. Students will have an opportunity to do creative writing in the form of a letter home, detailing their first look at a new continent.

We will explore Fort Morgan which was built in 1813 and originally called Fort Bowyer. We will learn about the Spanish, French and British attempts to colonize the Gulf Coast in the 1500s. An understanding of the impact these countries had on the Gulf Coast is crucial to understanding the development of early settlements and the relationships between Native Americans, foreign colonizers, and American settlers.

Early settlers made their living predominantly through fishing and farming. We will meet a descendant of an early settler family who owns a seafood processing plant on the Bon Secour River. A tour of the facility will teach students how this industry began and how the families processed their catch. At this same location is The Bon Secour Salt Works which was destroyed by the Union Army in the Civil War. Discover how this $20 million-dollar enterprise played an important role for early families and the war effort.

Explore the reasons for the violent conflicts that caused major changes in the Gulf Coast region, Alabama and United States History. We will discuss the roles that the Spanish and French played in the early exploration of the Gulf Coast. The British War of 1812 was a turning point in American History and we discover the impact this had on the Creek Indians and their relationship with the settlers. The Creek Indians had their own civil war going on which divided this powerful nation. All factors, together, made a perfect storm which exploded in the massacre at Fort Mims which led to Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett bringing an army to ultimately defeat the Creek Nation which brought about the new state of Alabama.

Join us for a tour of Fort Mims and discuss the reasons for its destruction and the people involved. Travel the Federal Road which was started in 1806 and had a huge impact on the issues between the Creeks and early settlers.

Students will be housed at the Gulf Shores Beach Retreat. This fantastic facility sleeps up to 170 people with all the amenities. We have recreational opportunities on site such as swimming pools, sand volleyball courts, and basketball goals,. We also have a boardwalk to the Gulf Shores’ beach. Your group can also use the commercial kitchens, dining halls, and meeting space for instruction. This private facility provides the safest place possible for your students. Management lives on site to assist your group during your stay.