Turtle Mound National Historic Site
The Turtle Mound National Historic Site is a great option if you are looking for things to do in New Smyrna Beach Florida. It is located 9 miles south of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on State Road A1A in the Canaveral National Seashore Area. It is one of the largest in the continental United States so it was to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in September of 1970.
Most visitors to Turtle Mound visit for one of two reasons, one is the archeological significance of the site and the second is to view what old Florida looked like, before all of the development. It is a beautiful and special place for sure.
First off, what does Turtle Mound mean? I had to google it as well before visiting because I am not well-versed in anthropology by any stretch of the imagination. Turtle Mound is what is known as a “shell mound” or “kitchen midden” in anthropology and is basically a prehistoric waste heap.
In this case, it provides information on the lifestyle of the Timucuan people who lived about 14,000 years ago. It has not been fully excavated but contained within it are the bones of what the Timucuan’s ate which showed that they were skilled hunters and other artifacts like pieces of pottery, etc. It also contains 35,000 cubic yards of oyster shells, which accounts for it being visible from 7 miles out to sea. It was actually used as a navigational aid by early Spanish explorers and mariners.
Ponce de Leon landed in Florida in 1513. The subsequent contact with the incoming Europeans led to a once robust population of 40,000 Timucuans to dwindle to a handful of survivors by 1763 when the Spanish fled Florida. Due to how fast the Timucuan were wiped out, locations like Turtle Mound became even more relevant to retain a picture into their culture and life.
Today, the Turtle Mound National Historic Site has nice, well-kept walkways that take you up to two viewing spots that give incredible views of the intracoastal and Atlantic Ocean. There is a lot of wildlife you can observe and it is great to be in nature and see how Florida looked before it was built up with hotels, condos, stores and restaurants. There is not a lot of signage explaining the significance and history of Turtle Mound, but there is an audio tour that you can access from your smartphone.
Turtle Mound is a nice stop while visiting the Canaveral National Seashore Park or if you are looking for an outdoor activity near New Smyrna Beach. It is an easy hike and the history and the views make it worthwhile for visitors of all ages.
