Field Trip #3 - Timucuan, Fort & Monument

6/5/2011 – Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Fort & Monument

                This trip turned out to be in 2 different locations, but closely located near each other.  The Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center and Fort Caroline were in the same location.  The visitor center had information regarding the Timucua Indians and how they lived on this land.  I think the most interesting aspect was the showcase of the dugout boat.  The Timucua Indians cut the tree, burned it and scraped the tree trunks to make these dugout canoes.  It was created using handmade tools that were made from natural materials.  These tools were on display and each had a small description next to it.  The use of handmade tools being made from natural materials is truly amazing.  The Timucua Indians really used the land as they hunted and gathered in the surrounding forests and marshes.  They fished in the waterway and collected oysters and clams.  These oyster shells are clearly visible along the St. Johns Rivers piled in mounds which proves how important the waterway was to these people.  It is amazing at how inventive people were in these times and used what they could find from nature. 

                The fort exhibit represents the lives and the deaths of the French colonists during the 1500’s.  Again, showing how important the water, the transportation this water allowed and the food they were able to salvage from it.  This is the first planned French settlement.  They built this fort in a triangular shape.   There were a lot of oak trees on a side of the fort, marsh on a side and the waterway on the longest side.  The people also lived in circular dwellings in which had palm-thatched roofs and walls that were made with woven vines caulked with clay.  This was so amazing to think that even then they created such unique homes.  There are cannons situated on each of the sidesin the fort in which to protect the people. 

                The Monument is a replica of the stone column that was erected by Jean Ribault of France during 1562.  His men placed this stone marker on a sandy knoll near the river’s mouth.   This showed all that he was the one who found and explored the area.   The stone column displays the coat of arms of the French King Charles IX.  Interestingly enough this monument was originally located on the land that is now Mayport Naval Station.  It became inaccessible to the general public and was moved in 1941.  However, it wasn’t until 1958 that the monument found the permanent spot in the Timucuan National Park.  It would have been interesting to see where exactly it was on Mayport Naval Station, but in research I didn't find anything.