San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Fort San Marcos De Apalache
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

One of the small remaining portions of the stone wall of the Spanish fort, San Marcos de Apalache.
Location in Florida Show map of Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	18 mi. S of Tallahassee, St. Marks, Florida
Nearest city	St. Marks, Florida
NRHP reference No.	66000271
Added to NRHP	November 13, 1966
Designated NHL	November 13, 1966

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park is a special place in Florida. It's built around an old Spanish fort called San Marcos de Apalache. This fort was also known as Fort St. Marks by the English and Americans. Many different countries controlled this area over time.

The Spanish first built wooden forts here in the late 1600s and early 1700s. But a big hurricane destroyed them. Later, in 1753, they started building a stronger fort out of stone. This fort was controlled by Spain, then Great Britain, then Spain again, then the United States. During the American Civil War, the Confederate army used it. They even built a hospital using parts of the old fort. After the war, in 1865, the U.S. took control, and the fort was no longer used.

Because of its important history, the fort area became a National Historic Landmark on November 13, 1966. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places. The site is also part of the Florida Native American Heritage Trail. Today, it remains a Florida State Park and a National Historic Landmark.

You can find this historic park near St. Marks, off S.R. 363, at 148 Old Fort Road.

The Fort's Long History
Fun Activities at the Park
Images for kids
See also

The Fort's Long History

Early Spanish Forts

In 1679, the Spanish built a wooden fort here. They called it San Marcos de Apalache. This was part of their plan to expand their control in northwest Florida. A small town grew around the fort starting around 1733. Another wooden fort was built around 1753. But a strong hurricane destroyed this wooden fort. The soldiers inside drowned.

Changes in Control

In 1759, the Spanish began building a new fort. This one was made of stone. It was designed to stand strong against attacks from ships. After losing the Seven Years' War (also called the French and Indian War), Spain gave this land to the British. The Spanish left the fort for Native Americans to use as a trading post. The British then put their own soldiers at the fort.

After the American Revolutionary War, the British traded some land with Spain. Spain took back control of West and East Florida. St. Marks was in East Florida. Spanish forces returned to the San Marcos fort in 1783. They made its defenses even stronger.

American Influence

After the American Revolution, settlers from the U.S. began moving into the Southeast. They settled deeper into Georgia and into the Mississippi and Alabama Territories.

General Andrew Jackson led some military raids into this area. His forces took control of the fort in 1818. The U.S. army stayed there for almost a year. A military cemetery was started at that time. It was for soldiers who died at the fort. Nineteen men were buried there. Most of them died from diseases like dysentery and consumption.

In 1821, the United States bought Florida from Spain. This included the fort site. In 1839, during Florida's time as a U.S. territory, the government built a hospital here. It was called a marine hospital. They used stones and other materials from the old fort to build it. This hospital cared for sick sailors and people with yellow fever.

Civil War and Beyond

During the American Civil War, the Confederate army took over the fort. This happened after Florida left the Union. U.S. forces took back control in 1865. This was in the last year of the war.

Today, you can still see parts of the stone fort. A museum and visitor center have been built on the foundation of the old hospital. A stone well and a retaining wall have been rebuilt nearby. This was done based on what archaeologists found.