Florida Division of Historical Resources

The Gilbert-Ingram Canoe, named for the informants who found and reported it, is a Native-built Mississippian period dugout discovered near Homosassa, Florida. There are lots of springs and seeps nearby that attracted Native people to the area and made canoe travel the norm.

As you can see from these photos, the canoe is mostly buried in the riverbed, but BAR archaeologists have been able to determine it is at least 3.12 meters long and appears to be well preserved. During their initial assessment, state archaeologists collected wood samples from the canoe for radiocarbon dating. This method measures ratios of different carbon isotopes within the wood and converts that to an age range. For this canoe, that range is 820 +/- 85 calBP, meaning the canoe is between 735 and 905 years old.

Investigations are ongoing. Staff returned to the site last week to survey using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). GPR uses electromagnetic energy to detect buried features and sediment layers. BAR is using this technology to help identify the boundaries of the canoe site and better understand the sediments that buried the canoe.

If you see a canoe in your local river or spring – call BAR at (850) 245-6444! Take some pictures but do not move or disturb the canoe – it is important the archaeologists study it exactly as you found it.

To learn more about canoes, visit: https://dos.fl.gov/historical/archaeology/projects/canoes/.

Want to learn more about decades of archaeological research at Mission San Luis, Tallahassee's only National Historic Landmark?

You're in luck! Today at 11 a.m., join Senior Archaeologist Jerry Lee for a guided tour of the site. For more information, visit: https://www.missionsanluis.org/.

Coming up today at 11 a.m., join us for the monthly guided tour of site led by Senior Archaeologist Jerry Lee.

For more information, visit: https://www.missionsanluis.org/.

There are nearly 60 cemeteries across the state of Florida recognized by State Historical Markers. Today, for we want to highlight Indianola Pioneer Cemetery on Merritt Island.

Founded 126 years ago today, the 4.36-acre cemetery contains 328 gravesites, including military veterans of the Spanish American war through the Vietnam conflict. It also holds the teachers, farmers, and laborers, who built the communities on Merritt Island.

Marker photo courtesy of Maureen McKinney and hmdb.org

We know you love our historic canoe. So, we hope you also love math!

While we await the results of testing to determine the age and wood type, our fantastic conservators have built an equation-based model to calculate the load and draft of the canoe.

Because the canoe was found in such complete condition, Florida Division of Historical Resources staff was able to model the space enclosed between surfaces. They used integration to calculate the total volume of the canoe which, when multiplied by the density, gave the mass. Mass and displaced volume are the key components of buoyancy, so a system of equations were written to determine the draft of the canoe at different loads (plotted on the graph attached).

Because fresh water and saltwater have slightly different densities, we can see the canoe could technically hold more in saltwater. However, the practical application of that is limited, especially if people were traveling up and down the river to the Gulf or the barrier islands. It is likely that the canoe would have been in both salt and fresh within one journey. Ultimately, the canoe could hold up to ~500kg and had a realistic operating load of 350-400kg. That's nearly 900 pounds!

Similar calculations were done to determine the stability of the canoe, by comparing the location of the center of gravity to the center of buoyancy. But that depends on how the canoe is loaded and with what. It seems that the canoe would have been stable (no capsizing) at any load with any draft, given that the load isn’t over 3 meters tall. That just demonstrates how well constructed and effective this canoe is.

Happy Halloween! Where's your favorite place to go trick-or-treating?

Mine is www.floridamemory.com! Every historic photo shared by the State Archives of Florida is a treat.

The newest Florida Historical Marker is set back at the Long Creek Nature Preserve in Palm Coast. This , let's look at the new Hernandez Landing marker, which reveals a two-hundred-year-old shipping site in a quiet public park.

In 1816, Joseph Mariano Henandez received an 800-acre Land Grant from Spain where he mainly oversaw the growth of sugarcane. Boats would collect the cane here at long creek and move it to larger ships waiting at the Matanzas River.

Congratulations to the City of Palm Coast and the Palm Coast Historical Society and Museum for installing this marker.

Learn more about Hernandez from Florida Memory: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/346006

There are over 440 dugout canoes that have been discovered in Florida over the last 100 or so years.

How old are the canoes?

The canoes that have been dated range from 100 to 7000 years old. The oldest canoe dated by DHR is around 7000 years old. This canoe, known as De Leon II, was the second canoe recovered from De Leon Spring. It is fragmentary and was preserved by the Division of Historical Resources. The photos above show this remarkable artifact.

It has been hypothesized that canoes and watercraft would have been used even earlier than 7000 years ago, but the physical evidence has not been found.

Who made the canoes?

The Indigenous people of Florida from the Archaic Period to the present are the original owners and creators of these canoes. This spans cultural groups and Tribes including the Seminole, the Miccosukee, the Calusa, the Apalachee, the Timucua, the Tequesta, the Muscoggee, the Choctaw, the Creek, and many more. A few canoes are of non-Indigenous construction based on design elements and the historic record. European settlers used canoes, frequently modeled on Indigenous design, during the post-Contact period.

It is difficult to link a single canoe to a specific cultural group based on style alone. This is why radiocarbon dating and detailed information on where the canoe was found is critical to understanding the canoe’s relationship to the archaeological record.

Do you remember this post from October 8, on the onion bottles discovered in a 1715 Plate Fleet ship and the incredible job our conservators did restoring them?

The New York Post has run a story on these artifacts which goes into much more detail. Enjoy! https://nypost.com/2024/10/21/us-news/divers-recover-unique-alcohol-bottles-from-1700s-shipwreck-near-florida/

We hope to see you tonight at the Union Bank Museum for History Happy Hour! 😁🍷🍻

Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-happy-hour-at-the-union-bank-museum-tickets-1026896343607

See you TONIGHT at the Union Bank Museum for History Happy Hour!

Tickets still available! 🍻🍷🎟 Come enjoy this beautiful fall weather during the photo-friendly "golden hour" while you sip, snack, and chat outdoors! ✨

Then head into the Museum for lively conversation, displays, and unique Florida-themed merchandise for sale by Florida's History Shop.

To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-happy-hour-at-the-union-bank-museum-tickets-1026896343607

For more info, including parking details, visit the Museum's event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/cPKmcH1E3Ntcd4oY

Join us as we celebrate the Bank's 40th anniversary of becoming a museum. 🎉

It's again! A new marker has been unveiled and we want to share the celebration with you!

Tuesday, October 15, the City of Miami Beach Government dedicated a new Florida Historical Marker memorializing the life of Desi Arnaz. Born into a wealthy Cuban family in 1917, the Cuban Revolution of 1933 forced them to flee to Miami. After years of hardship, he first saw success as a band leader at the Park Avenue Restaurant before moving to Los Angeles, where he would meet his future wife, Lucille Ball, in 1940. Together they would star in the iconic TV sitcom "I Love Lucy."

Visit the marker at the corner of Collins Avenue and 23rd Street, directly in front of the entrance to the Miami City Ballet.

Unveiling pictures courtesy Melissa Berthier. Featuring, from left to right, Miami Beach Commissioner/Vice-Mayor Alex Fernandez; Gary McKechnie; Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner; Miami Beach Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt; and Miami Beach City Manager Eric Carpenter.

Marker pictures courtesy of Gary McKechnie

Learn more about the unveiling with this article from Miami New Times: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/miami-beach-unveils-desi-arnaz-historical-marker-21545944

Last week we outlined the process that occurs when a dugout canoe is discovered. But what happens to a canoe after it's discovery? Not all 440 recorded canoes are in DHR’s collections or even under the jurisdiction of the state.

Most of our data on Florida's dugout canoes comes from a project in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, from the University of Florida and the Florida Museum of Natural History called the "Florida Canoe Survey." The goal of the project was to aggregate as much data on Florida’s canoes as possible, so canoes from state lands, private property, museums, etc. were all recorded. During this time, collection was the standard for dealing with canoes in the field – often because they were in danger of looting, or the people whose property they were on wanted to donate them to the state, etc. Soon, the state and the museum started running out of storage space.

Many of the canoes were placed in “holding ponds” as an experiment in preservation, with mixed results. That’s part of the reason the Division of Historical Resources tries to preserve canoes where they are as much as possible – they’ve preserved in place for hundreds or sometimes thousands of years and they’ll continue to be preserved if they aren’t disturbed.

To summarize, some canoes are still in place, some have been destroyed, and many are in museums or the state’s collections.

Congratulations to Eau Gallie Arts District for their designation as Florida Main Street of the Month for October 2024!

PRESS RELEASE: Secretary Byrd Designates Eau Gallie Arts District as Florida Main Street Program of the Month - “EGADLife is a testament to how historic preservation and creative innovation can come together to transform a community," said Secretary Cord Byrd. "With a commitment to fostering the arts, EGAD Main Street has worked to ensure that the district remains a cultural beacon while also preserving its rich history." Full release: https://dos.fl.gov/communications/press-releases/2024/press-release-secretary-byrd-designates-eau-gallie-arts-district-as-florida-main-street-program-of-the-month/

In the past fifty years, Tallahassee's Union Bank Museum has come a long way. Literally!

Help us celebrate its forty-year career as a museum with a History Happy Hour! Wednesday, October 23, from 5:30PM to 7, visit the Union Bank Museum after hours to enjoy lively conversation about topics in American history and historic preservation. Tickets are limited, so act quickly!

Ticket purchase includes program, appetizers, and beverages. Florida's History Shop will be on-site selling unique Florida-themed merchandise.

All attendees must be age 21 or older. Tickets for Museum members are available for $15 (limit 2) with a special Promo Code applied at checkout. Members, check your email on 10/2 for the Promo Code, or message us if you did not receive one. General admission tickets are $20 per guest (limit 2).

For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/history-happy-hour-at-the-union-bank-museum-tickets-1026896343607

Did you and your furry (or not so furry) friend get your picture taken at Mission San Luis' 20th Anniversary Blessing of Animals? Or do you just need to take a break and see some happy animal friends?

We are happy to announce that the pictures taken for the 20th Anniversary of the Blessing of Animals are now available! Please find them on our Flickr page, here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBNq7Q

Photos courtesy of Elizabeth E. George Photography

Desi Arnaz is the latest person recognized in a Florida Historical Marker. Read about it in this article from the New York Times.

Desi Arnaz Historical Marker Pays Tribute to the ‘I Love Lucy’ Star in Miami Beach A new historical marker in Miami Beach pays tribute to his younger years, before Hollywood, when as a Cuban émigré he performed at a nightclub.

Today's Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research featured artifact? Ginger Beer Bottle!

Archaeology has taught us that humans have been enjoying beer for thousands of years. True beers, however, rely on large amounts of grain to produce fermentable sugars. From the late 1700’s through the early 1900’s people also drank “ginger beer.” Ginger beer was fermented from loaf sugar; this allowed operators of very small taverns to make a “beer” on-site, since it did not require the same large amount of equipment and grains to produce. Nonetheless, there were some businesses that made and exported ginger beer. Because of differences in fermenting loaf sugar, ginger beer had to be bottled in stoneware vessels (it would explode glass!). This ginger beer bottle was likely manufactured in the latter half of the 1800’s.

Last week, we shared this short post about onion bottles discovered in the remains of the 1715 Plate Fleet and restored by our amazing conservators.

The Miami Herald has done an article that will help you learn more about these artifacts. You can read it here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article293909254.html
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