Turtle Mound is a prehistoric archaeological site located south of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States, on State Road A1A, between the Mosquito Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. On September 29, 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today the site is owned and managed by the National Park Service as part of Canaveral National Seashore.
Characteristics
A refuse deposit composed mostly of oyster shells, the mound ranges for over along the lagoon shoreline and holds over of shells. It is the largest shell midden on the mainland United States, with an approximate height of , but no extensive excavations have been made. Sparsely vegetated in the early 19th century, it has since been covered by a dense maritime hammock, its primary cover being woody.
Along with similar mounds regionally, it is the northernmost outpost of several tropical plant taxa, possibly due to its secluded, elevated, seaside location and to heat retention by shells; a study in 1923 found its flora to be "largely of a tropical character", as did repeated surveys that also spotted rare species. Migratory seabirds, raptors, and other avians frequent the site, likely fostering seed dispersal there.
Its peak affords the site a panorama for miles, leading a visitor in 1926 to remark that "one has the sensation of standing on top of a mountain". The statehouse in Eldora and nearby Bethune Beach are observable from its top, along with many other features that set the site apart from other such points in Florida: over of wild coastline to its south, the lagoon to its west, and the ocean to its east.
History The mound, dating to between 800 and 1400, contains waste from the Timucua, who caught many reptiles and small mammals here. The Timucua may have used the site as an observatory, for ceremonies, or as a refuge during hurricanes.
Prior to the late 19th century Turtle Mound was estimated to be high. Visible seaward, the mound was used as a landmark by mariners, including Spanish explorers and later navigators. Along with the Green Mound, Turtle Mound was one of the most visible markers on the Florida east coast before lighthouses were built.
In 1605 Álvaro Mexía noted the site, dubbing it Baradero de Surruque, and observed natives floating their dugout canoes at its foot. In the late 18th century the site was named Mount Belvedere (1769), The Rock (1769), and Mount Tucker (1796). Over time the mound began to take the form of a turtle, giving the feature its name—a toponym first used on a map published in William Bartram's Travels (1791).
Like other mounds, it was slated for use as fill material, but efforts by John B. Stetson Jr. and other individuals led to its acquisition by the State of Florida in 1951. A wall to halt erosion was erected in 1964 on its northwest, and a pair of lookouts were added in 1972.
Tropical plant taxa +Tropical plant taxa at or near Turtle MoundScientific nameCommon nameAbundanceHabitatYear first notedAgave viviparaagavedominantbeach1766Amyris elemiferatorchwooddominantexposed slopes1921Ardisia escallonioidesmarlberrydominant1921Avicennia germinansblack mangroveoccasionalriverside1921Carica papayapapayarare1921Chiococca albasnowberryabundant1921Cissus trifoliatamarine vine, sorrel vineabundantwest side1971–3Citrus × aurantiumwild orangeoccasional1766Eugenia axillariswhite stopperdominant1921Exothea paniculatainkwood, butterboughfrequent1921Harrisia fragransnight-blooming cereusrare1971–3Heliotropium angiospermumscorpion-tailoccasionalriverside1971–3Laguncularia racemosawhite mangroverareriverside1921Mentzelia floridanapoor man's patchesoccasionalopen spots1921Myrcianthes fragransnakedwooddominant1921Myrsine floridanafrequent1971–3Ocotea coriacealancewoodrare1971–3Plumbago scandensleadwortfrequent1921Psychotria nervosawild coffeefrequent1921Rhizophora manglered mangroveoccasionalriverside1921Schoepfia chrysophylloideswhitewoodrare1971–3Sideroxylon foetidissimummasticrare1971–3Zanthoxylum fagarawild limedominantexposed spots near summit1971–3
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Notes
References
Sources
External links
Volusia County listings at National Register of Historic Places: Turtle Mound Volusia County listings at Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs - Turtle Mound