History comes alive on successive Saturdays in March inside the Old Fort near downtown Fort Wayne.

March 2 brings the British Garrison 1775-1783. The reenactment of this period in history will allow a firsthand look into the wintertime hardships the Colonial soldiers endured during the Revolutionary War, fighting two opponents, England and Mother Nature.

The portrayal highlights the challenges the solders faced as they repaired their equipment and practiced their skills in preparation for battle.

March 9 moves ahead nearly eight decades to the Civil War. Explore period cooking, military procedures, historically accurate games, and more as the 5th Texas Spangtown Mess muster at the Fort for drill and training.

Take the opportunity to talk to the soldiers about life in their time period, learn about Civil War era military customs and decorum, and witness for yourself the conflict that divided a nation and pitted brother against brother.

The Old Fort is a faithful copy of the post built by American troops under the command of Major John Whistler in 1815-1816. The original complex was perhaps the most sophisticated all-wooden fort ever built in North America, and it was designed to be easily defended against Indian attack. But the rapid westward movement of the frontier caused Fort Wayne to be abandoned after only three years of use.