Turtle Mound
Turtle Mound, New Smyrna Beach:
Turtle Mound is a prehistoric archaeological site along the Indian River shoreline just south of New Smyrna Beach and the largest shell midden on the mainland United States. The turtle-shaped mound contains oysters and refuse from the prehistoric Timucuan people. Archaeologists believe that these people may have used this site as a high-ground refuge during hurricanes. With bow and arrow, spears and snares, they caught a variety of small mammals and reptiles.
The Timucuan experienced greater competitive forces for finite resources such as arable land resulting in increased open conflict. This is apparent in some of the material found in the Turtle Mound location, an important location along the coast.
Visible seven miles out at sea, the large mound served as a landmark for early Spanish explorers and subsequent mariners. Today, the site is owned and managed by the National Park Service as part of Canaveral National Seashore. In 1970, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Turtle Mound, Canaveral National Seashore North. Open daily 6 a.m, until 6 p.m. in the winter and 8 p.m. in the summer. Located 9 miles (14 km) south of New Smyrna Beach, State Road A1A. Phone (386) 428-3384
Turtle Mound River Tours offers scenic two-hour public boat tours every Monday through Saturday at 11:00 am. See dolphins, manatees, shore birds, and beautiful scenery as your guide tells you about local history and ecology.386-957-1207. 859 Pompano Ave. New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169.
