Safety Harbor Site facts for kids
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Safety Harbor Site
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Looking down from the top of the site
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Safety Harbor, Florida |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000270 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
The Safety Harbor Site is an amazing archaeological spot in Philippe Park. You can find it in Safety Harbor, Florida, in the United States.
This site is super important because it's the main example for understanding the Safety Harbor culture. It also has the biggest ancient mound left in the whole Tampa Bay area. Because it's so special, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Contents
What You'll Find at the Site
The Safety Harbor Site is a big part of Philippe Park. It has a large temple mound, a smaller burial mound, and two shell middens. A "midden" is like an ancient trash pile, often made of shells.
The Temple Mound
The main temple mound is shaped like a circle. It's about 150 feet (46 meters) wide and 20 feet (6 meters) tall. The flat top of the mound is about 100 by 50 feet (30 by 15 meters).
Archaeologists found that the mound was built in layers. These layers switch between shells and sand. They also found holes on the top, which might mean a building once stood there. This building could have been a home or a temple. There are also clay layers that might have been used in some way.
Visiting the Site
You can visit the Safety Harbor Site during the day. Besides the mounds, Philippe Park has lots of other cool things. There are walking paths, picnic areas, a boat ramp, and places to fish. You can also enjoy beautiful views of the water.
Why This Site Is Important to History
Early Spanish explorers visited this area a long time ago. They wrote that the Safety Harbor Site was the "capital city" of the Tocobaga people. Sadly, contact with these explorers likely brought new diseases. These diseases greatly reduced the population. Because of this, the site was probably left empty by the year 1700.
Discovering the Past
People first noticed the site's historical value around 1880. However, the first official digs didn't happen until 1929. During the 1900s, both approved and unapproved excavations took place. These digs completely explored a nearby burial mound. The county bought the land in 1948. Since then, they have continued to study the site.
Cultural Connections
The Safety Harbor Site is the most southern place in Florida that shows signs of the Mississippian culture. This was a major Native American culture in the central and southeastern United States. Pottery found at the site is similar to pottery from the Fort Walton culture. This means these two cultures might have been connected.
See also
In Spanish: Sitio Safety-Harbor para niños
