Fort Mose

Fort Mose survives only underground on the island and in the surrounding salt marsh. Archaeologists and historians used historic documents, maps, aerial photos, and excavation to piece together its story. They identified the island as the site of the second fort from 1752 to 1763 and believe the remains of the first fort from 1738 to 1740 are currently underwater. Evidence of Fort Mose consists of humble traces of everyday life buried in just a few inches of brown soil. These fragile remains and a few colonial documents are the lone testaments to one of the country's most important historical sites. Archaeologists revealed a thin layer of brown soil that contained evidence of Fort Mose below the shell layer and above the golden soil.

St. Augustine, Florida · United States