LIVING HISTORY
Dense vegetation obscures the view of the Indian Mound at Old Fort Park
from motorists driving by on South Indian River Drive.
by previous digging and landscaping on its eastern slope,
is generally intact and that human bones occur within two
feet below the surface at the highest part of the mound. It
should be noted that all human remains encountered during
the mound assessment were not collected.”
Carr said the burial mound was part of an Ais Indian
village that was the most populous area of the region at
the time. Still, there’s not a single clue to the mound’s history
at the park; the only posting is a sign asking visitors
to use the steps if they want to climb to the top.
“The park as a whole needs better signage,” Rights said.
“It doesn’t tell anything about the Indians who lived there,
or about the fort. It’s a green space and supposedly it will
always be a green space, but more signage is needed so
people will know what was there.”
Fort Pierce Redevelopment Director Jon Ward said the
city might consider placing an informational kiosk, similar
to the ones used for the Zora Neal Hurston Dust Tracks
Heritage Trail, to better interpret the site for visitors. The
role of Native Americans at the site would be recognized,
though there are no plans to change the name of the park,
which was purchased in 1950.
“I have a sense that the namers of the park chose that
name because of the proximity to the fort site, as opposed
to any attempt to determine its archaeologically correct
location,” Ward said. “Given the very slim likelihood of
acquiring the private property where the fort most probably
stood, to the north and east of the park, it is probably an
appropriate place keeper, as opposed to a place designator.”
Carr said the site has local, state and regional significance.
“The park provides a window to the past and a
sense of place.”
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