Old Fort Park
Introduction
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Old Fort Park was the site of Fort Pierce, which was built in early 1838 to support the war effort against the Seminole Indians in the Second Seminole War (1838-1842). The site also features this Ais Indian mound, which dates to 500-1,000 years ago.
Backstory and Context
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Ais Indians
Ais Indians inhabited the area between Cape Canarveral and Jupiter along the coast and St. John's River to the west. They hunted, fished and gathered food, taking advantage of the rich natural resources in the region. Their diet included fish, shellfish, turtles, fruits, coco plums, palm berries, deer, and small game. The abundant access to food and water (there was a spring near the park site) enabled the Ais to develop into a complex society by the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Archaeological excavations at the site have discovered a variety of artifacts including projectile points, pottery shards, stone and wood tools, and shell and animal bone implements. The Ais were wiped out by around 1740 as a result of disease and enslavement by northern Indians, who moved onto Ais territory beginning in the early 1700s.
Fort Pierce
The Second Seminole War (1835-1842) was the longest of the wars of Indian removal in American history. In 1832, the federal government and a group of Seminole chiefs signed the Treaty of Payne's Landing, which called for the Seminoles to relocate to Indian Territory, which is now the state of Oklahoma, within three years. However, many Seminoles did not agree with the decision to leave and they refused to do so, despite the threat of being removed by force. The war began on December 28, 1835 when a force of 180 Seminoles and their allies ambushed a contingent of a 100 American soldiers who were marching to another fort. Only three soldiers survived.
Fort Pierce was one of several U.S. Army forts established in 1837 and 1838 from Tampa Bay to the Indian River Inlet. They were part of a campaign to force the Seminoles to move to Indian Territory. The site of Fort Pierce, which is located on a bluff overlooking the water, was chosen for its high vantage point. General Thomas S. Jesup commanded the troops stationed at the fort, which served as the Army of the South headquarters in January, 1838. Initially, the fort was a bustling hub of activity, but the situation soon calmed down and the fort operated as a supply and support post. It appears that the only event of note to happen at the fort was when Seminole Chief Coacoochee ("Wild Cat" in English) surrendered in May, 1841. The fort was never attacked and deactivated in February 1842. A fire destroyed it in December 1843. Artifacts found at the site include eating utensils, buttons, and musket balls.
Sources
"Early Native Americans." St. Lucie Historical Society. Accessed March 25, 2021. https://stluciehistoricalsociety.net/st-lucie-county-history/early-native-americans.
Fryman, Mildred L. "Fort Pierce Site." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. January 11, 1974. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/d59de021-c2c2-4e9b-8fc2-24d98cb9841b.
"Military Fort Pierce at Old Fort Park, Fort Pierce." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed March 25, 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=107189.
"Traces of an Early Indian Village." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed March 25, 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=117568.
The Historical Marker Database