Fort Walton Mound facts for kids
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Fort Walton Mound
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Fort Walton Mound, in the Indian Temple Mound and Museum
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA |
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000268 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
The Fort Walton Mound is an ancient archaeological site in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States. This huge platform mound was built around 850 CE by the Pensacola culture. These people were part of the larger Mississippian culture. Because of its importance, the mound was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Even after many years, this massive mound is still about 12 feet (3.7 m) high. It is also about 223 feet (68 m) wide at its base. The mound shows that the people who built it had a complex society. Their leaders planned and organized many workers to build it. The mound was used for important ceremonies, political meetings, and religious events. It was the center of their village and farming lands. The mound also served as a platform for the temple and home of the chief. Over time, new layers were added to the mound, and leaders were buried inside it.
This mound is one of three large mound sites still standing in the Florida panhandle. The others are Letchworth Mounds and Lake Jackson Mounds.
Contents
Discovering the Fort Walton Mound's Past
The Fort Walton Mound was likely built around 800 CE. However, some early researchers thought it was built later, between 1500 and 1650. The mound was the main place for ceremonies and political power for the chiefdom. It was also where important people in their society were buried.
Archaeologists have found signs that several buildings once stood on top of the mound. These buildings were probably made using a method called wattle and daub. This was a common way to build among Native American groups in the Southeastern United States. By the late 1600s, the original builders left the mound. It remained unused until white settlers came to the area in the mid-1800s.
Early Explorations of the Mound
During the Civil War in 1861, Confederate soldiers set up "Camp Walton" near the mound. They guarded the Santa Rosa Sound and Choctawhatchee Bay. Like many mounds in Florida, the Fort Walton Mound was first explored by people who were interested in old things, not trained archaeologists. The Walton Guard soldiers were the first group recorded to dig into the mound.
John Love McKinnon, an officer with the Walton Guards, wrote about their digging. He noted that they found several human skeletons. He thought these were from warriors because of marks on the bones. He believed the area they dug into was once a special place where bones were kept.
In 1883, S.T. Walker wrote a report about digging at the mound for the Smithsonian Institution. He noted that many curious people had dug into the mound over the years. He also mentioned that Dr. S.S. Forbes had dug there before and found bones and clay figures. Dr. Forbes later gave these items to the Smithsonian.
Modern Archaeology at Fort Walton Mound
Clarence Bloomfield Moore also dug at the mound in 1901. He found many ceramic pots and burial items that had not been seen before. In 1940, famous archaeologists Gordon Willey and Richard Woodbury looked at the Fort Walton Mound again. Their work was mentioned in Willey's important book, "Archaeology of the Florida Gulf Coast."
By 1960, Dr. Charles Fairbanks, an archaeologist from Florida State University, was asked to study the mound. He dug there to find out its original size, shape, and how it was built. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, museum staff also dug at the mound. They were guided by William and Yulee Lazarus.
In 1971-1973, more digging happened to find post holes and ceramic pieces. The last major dig at the Fort Walton Mound was in 1976. A student named Nina Thanz (Borremans) made sure that building a new temple on top of the mound would not disturb any old remains or artifacts. She found several post holes from different structures. These findings helped decide the size of the building that stands on the mound today. Yulee Lazarus, the first curator of the Indian Temple Mound Museum, said the new building was not meant to be an exact copy. Instead, it was built to help people imagine how the Native Americans used the temple mound.
The People of Fort Walton Culture
The mounds were built by the people of the Pensacola culture. This was a local group within the larger Mississippian culture. The "Fort Walton culture" was named after this site by archaeologist Gordon Willey. However, later studies suggest that the Fort Walton site was actually used by people of the Pensacola culture.
The people of the Fort Walton culture often used sand, grit, or a mix of these in their pottery. This was to make the clay stronger. But the Pensacola culture people used crushed shells to strengthen their pottery. This was more common for the Mississippian culture. The site was left empty by 1500 A.D. No one knows exactly why. Some think it was because European settlers arrived. But this is not proven, as Spanish explorers found the sites already empty years before.
These people were very good at farming before Europeans arrived. They grew many crops like corn, beans, and squash. The mound itself was built in a common style for that time. It had a pyramid-like base with a flat top. This flat top was used for ceremonies, temples, and homes for important leaders.
Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center
The Fort Walton Mound is now protected as part of the Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center. This park has several museums you can visit with one admission ticket. These include the Indian Temple Mound Museum, Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, Garnier Post Office Museum, and Civil War Exhibits Building.
Indian Temple Mound Museum
The Indian Temple Mound Museum is owned by the city. It shows ancient artifacts found at the mound and from other places. It also has exhibits about later Native American history and Florida's past. You can see items from European explorers, local pirates, and early settlers. The museum is located at 139 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE. It is near the intersection of State Road 85 and U.S. Route 98 in the Florida Panhandle. The museum first opened in 1962, and its current building opened in 1972.
Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum
The Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum is the original one-room schoolhouse built in 1911. It served children in the community from 1912 to 1936. The museum opened in 1976. It shows desks and school items from the early 1900s.
Garnier Post Office Museum
The Garnier Post Office Museum is a small, original rural post office. It shows the history of mail service in Camp Walton and Fort Walton. It focuses on the years from 1900 to the 1950s. This site also used to be a place where people voted. The museum opened in 1988.
Civil War Exhibits Building
The Civil War Exhibits Building opened in 2010. It has displays about Florida's history during the American Civil War.
Gallery
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Explanatory plaque
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Indian Mound park
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Indian Temple Mound park entrance
