12713 Fort Caroline Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225
Phone: 904-641-7155 or 904-641-7111
Fax: 904-641-3798
Open All Year
Overview. Two Hundred French Huguenots landed at this site in June 1564, located 13 miles away from what is now downtown Jacksonville. The settlement was headed by Rene de Laudonniere, and was named "La Caroline" for France's King Charles IX. The French hoped to eventually establish a strong presence in this part of the New World, but so did the Spanish, who saw the colony as a threat to their already-established trade route. Spanish forces stormed the colony 15 months after it was built and massacred most of its adult male inhabitants. This sparked a struggle among European nations for the next 250 years for control of territory in what would become the United States. The colony site is believed to have been washed away in the 1880s following the deepening and widening of the Saint Johns River. The Memorial was established in 1953 to commemorate the historic settlement; in 1964 the National Park Service built a life-size exhibit of the fort. What to see and do. The Visitor Center/Museum, open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, contains exhibits about the history and culture of the Native American and European residents of the 1500s, interpretive videos, and free informational literature. It also serves as the main contact station for the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve (of which the Memorial has been part since 1988). You can also walk along woodland trails that provide bird- and wildlife-watching opportunities; bring mosquito repellent. Come prepared for changing weather conditions. There is a picnic area next to the visitor center and observation areas along St. John's Bluff and at Spanish Pond. Rangers are regularly on site. Leashed pets are permitted. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available.
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