On May 11th, we celebrated history with the dedication of the Blacksmith Shop at Fort King in Ocala. The ceremony marked a long-awaited step forward for the historical site. The Dedication Ceremony Guests were welcomed by re-enactors in period dress and were invited to explore the Fort, especially the new blacksmith shop. It was a memorable experience, where each person was given one of more than 2,000 nails that Keith Hill, with Dinkins Construction, forged at home. Re-enactors successfully fired

This month, we talk about Colonel William King, the man behind the name of Fort King. King started his military career as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army back in 1808. He fought in the War of 1812 and earned a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 1814 thanks to his bravery in numerous battles. Among them, the legendary Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Alabama, where King and his men played a crucial role. In 1818, he was handpicked by

Spring is coming and with it the desire to get out into the fresh air, shake off the winter doldrums, and see some beautiful nature. What better way than birding? Walking beautiful nature trails and catching a glimpse of those specks of living color can bring joy into the day like nothing else. Fort King National Landmark has a great opportunity for bird watching: the Nature Trails. You can start at the East Trailhead or West Trailhead, and follow the 

Fort King in Ocala has many historical and beautiful features that allow the visitor to explore nature and history. On their property is a garden that holds its own special history. The heritage garden at Fort King is a tribute to the legacy of David Laffey, who was instrumental in making the Fort King Historical landmark a reality. The various plants growing in the garden serve to illustrate the types of crops that were grown in the 1800s.

The history of the Black Seminoles is an often overlooked yet incredibly important part of Florida’s past. Their contributions to the state’s history, culture and economy have been invaluable and deserve to be explored and celebrated. Introduction to the Black Seminoles The Black Seminoles are a group of African Americans, Native Americans and Seminoles of mixed-race descent. Their history in Florida dates back to the 18th century when African slaves began to escape from plantations and join the Seminole Nation.

On May 28, 1830, the United States Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which began the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans. While it freed more than 25 million acres of fertile, lucrative farmland to mostly white settlers in the Southeast, more than 46,000 Native Americans were forced to abandon their homes and relocate to Oklahoma. Along the way, many would die of starvation, disease, and exposure to extreme weather. What led up to the Indian Removal Act of

Life wasn’t easy for the soldiers serving at Fort King during the Second Seminole War. Florida was a hostile and difficult environment. There were insects and animals they were not familiar with, their wool uniforms were not well-suited to Florida’s tropical climate, and they would be forced to share living spaces with livestock. Food rations were scarce and alcohol use was widespread. A letter excerpt from Samuel Forry, who was a surgeon at the fort on September 1837, said, “Nearly

Osceola was born in a Creek town near Tallahassee to a Creek mother, Polly Copinger and an Englishman named William Powell in 1804. In his youth, he was known as Billy Powell. He adopted the name Osceola, which means “black drink crier” at a tribal ceremony somewhere around 1820. In 1813, the various Creek tribes came to armed conflict, which later expanded to disputes between the white people and the Creeks. This was the reason the Osceola’s tribe moved further

From Invasions to October, 1821 By the time September 18, 1823 had arrived, the Seminole Indians had already been invaded three times, and had sustained extensive losses. After the first two invasions, the “Patriot War” of 1811-1813 and Andrew Jackson’s campaign in 1818, they were never the same. They were so harmed that Captain John R. Bell, US Army, and acting agent to the Seminoles said, “They had once been proud, numerous, and wealthy, possessing great numbers of cattle, horses,

The First Seminole War (1816-1819) Several years after the conclusion of the War of 1812, the U.S. military began excursions into the Spanish owned territory of Florida. General Andrew Jackson ordered his military to invade and destroy the “Negro Fort” on the Apalachicola River in 1816, because it was populated by the Seminole and runaway slaves who he believed needed to be dealt with to make way for American settlers. This was the catalyst of the Seminole War. In 1818,

The heritage garden at Fort King is dedicated to the memory of David Laffey, whose leadership and vision was an integral part of the Fort King Historical landmark. The crops you see growing are representative of crops grown in the 1800s. Learn more about the history of Ft. King’s heritage garden,