Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve

After we left Fort Pulaski we drove south towards Florida.  There were a couple forts along the way that we wanted to visit, but unfortunately didn't have time.

Fort Frederica is a National Park site located on one of the outlying islands and is the location of a battle between the British and Spanish.  "Georgia's fate was decided in 1742 when Spanish and British forces clashed on St. Simons Island. Fort Frederica's troops defeated the Spanish, ensuring Georgia's future as a British colony. Today, the archaeological remnants of Frederica are protected by the National Park Service."

Fort King George is a state historic site managed by the state of Georgia.  "This is the oldest English fort remaining on Georgia's coast. From 1721 until 1736, Fort King George was the southern outpost of the British Empire in North America. A cypress blockhouse, barracks and palisaded earthen fort were constructed in 1721 by scoutmen led by Colonel John “Tuscarora Jack” Barnwell."

The last time we drove to Florida we were late arriving in the Jacksonville area and weren't able to visit Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, which contains Fort Caroline.  This time we didn't want to miss this stop so we passed up Frederica and King George and decided to save them for another trip.

As you come up to the visitor center you'll see massive trees covered in Spanish Moss.

 The preserve is quite large and the part we visited only a small section of it.  We'll definitely be back to visit more the next time we're in the area

 "The Preserve encompasses 46,000 acres of wetlands and uplands, including some of the last unspoiled coastal wetlands on the Atlantic coast....  Come explore the biologically rich ecosystems and significant historic sites that make the Preserve a special part of our national heritage.  Discover the diverse plants and and meet the many human cultures that have been drawn to the bounty of the Timucuan Preserve."
~exhibit signage

This exhibit explored the life of a marsh and how it is influenced by the tides.  It included several signs and even some interactive elements.

 I enjoyed this detail from the marsh painting.

"Scattered through the Preserve are mounds of oyster and clam shells left by yet another spcies fond of feasting on the marsh's bounty."

This exhibit shows how so many elements from nature can be used to produce tools and other artifacts.

 This shell gorget is just one example of the many artifacts.

Near the end of the exhibits was a section that covered the influence of various European powers upon the area.

 Did you know that the French first landed at Cape Canaveral when they arrived in Florida?  They then headed north.

 Fort Caroline was established by the French and mostly consisted of Huguenot Protestants.  More about that in the next blog post covering our visit to the site of the fort.

 More recent artifacts from the period after European colonization were on delay.

 I'm always a sucker for cannons.

 The French presence in Florida didn't last too long.  In fact it connects with what we saw the next day.  Some of the French that fled a Spanish attack were massacred at what later became the site of Fort Matanzas as matanzas translates as slaughter/massacre.

The Spanish controlled Florida for quite a while though there was a British interregnum where East and West Florida were to some extent the fourteenth and fifteenth American colonies.

 The girls loved an area with natural artifacts that they could touch and hold.

You can view all of the photos I took in and around the visitor center in this Google Photos album.

The next post will explore the replica of Fort Caroline just down the shore from the visitor center.

~Matt