Fort Mose Historic State Park: Explore the Amazing History of America’s 1st African American Settlement
Fort Mose Historic State Park is a must-visit for anyone who loves history and wildlife. Working diligently to present the past in a meaningful way and protect the future of Florida’s critters, Fort Mose provides both an incredibly engaging and educational experience. In other words, the ultimate day trip!!
While there are plenty of state parks that are rich in history, Fort Mose is particularly significant: it was the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what would become the United States.1
Today, as our nation honors the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., we’re excited to explore, in tandem, the amazing legacy of Fort Mose and the men and women who dared to found it so many years ago.
Conquering Fear to Embrace Freedom
Over a century before the Civil War, an underground railroad was already running.
Enslaved on English plantations in the Carolinas, intrepid Africans made a daring bid for freedom, fleeing south through wild swamps, slave catchers right on their heels. Those who had already escaped, along with their newfound Native American friends, worked together to help those who were on the run; they shuttled them to the safety of Spanish Florida.
There, the Spanish freed the fugitives (so long as they agreed to join the Catholic Church and were loyal to the king). The freedmen were welcome additions to St. Augustine, not only as skilled workers but also as a much-needed military force. The first freedom seekers arrived in 1687: eight men and two women, one of whom had a three-year-old child.2
In 1738, the Spanish Governor established a town especially for the freedmen, two miles north of St. Augustine: Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, or Fort Mose, for short. (Pronounced ‘moh-say,’ not “moze” like Dwight’s cousin in The Office.)
This historic site is integral to a better understanding of colonial America, because “Mose provides important evidence that Black American colonial history was much more than slavery and oppression. The men and women of Mose won their liberty through great daring and effort and made important contributions to Florida’s multi-ethnic heritage.”3
Mose is a gateway into a richer, more complete history of our colonial past. While its buildings no longer stand, archival documents have helped shed light on life in Mose. Its residents were key players in confrontations between England and Spain, driving the English away from St. Augustine in 1740. Daily life included mass in a wooden church, farming, standing guard, and merging Native American customs into their own African lifestyle. (Many weddings in Mose took place between Africans and Native Americans!)
Because Fort Mose so poignantly illuminates African American life on the frontier – a part of history heretofore understudied – it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1995. Today, Fort Mose Historic State Park continues to tell the story, bringing this history to light, and to life, for all of its visitors.
Fort Mose Historic State Park: Memories of the Past, for the Future
At Fort Mose, history is respectfully remembered, and more is created each day! Every person who visits Mose becomes part of its illustrious past as they make memories of their very own. A great destination for the whole family, Fort Most Historic State Park is one of Florida’s (and America’s!) most unique parks to enjoy and explore.
Militia Muster!
When you visit Fort Mose, you can delve into its history at the on-site museum! Here they have interactive exhibits, an audio tour, and stunning archeological artifacts that give you a glimpse into life at Mose. While the village might have seemed a simple place, with its quaint, palm-thatched huts, it’s truly one of America’s most fascinating colonial chapters.
You can really travel back in time if you head to Fort Mose Historic State Park on the first Saturday of the month, aka: “First Saturday Monthly Militia Muster.” During these designated dates, the Fort Mose Militia, dressed in their 18th-century finest, will practice their firing drills. This includes a lesson on historic weapons and actually firing real muskets! Kiddos are welcome to participate with the militia, armed with wooden muskets of their own. The Monthly Militia Muster is a wonderfully immersive experience, and (#protip) also makes for an excellent photo-op!
Throughout the year, Fort Mose also hosts other amazing events including special tours, jazz concerts, and historical reenactments. This month (January 27th – 29th) Fort Mose is hosting their Flight to Freedom event, where you’ll be transported back to 1738 and make a perilous journey on the underground railroad. Free of charge, this special event will make your trip to Fort Mose Historic State Park truly unforgettable.
Even if you can’t make it to the Flight to Freedom, you can check out the Fort Mose event calendar to see what’s coming up next!
Brilliant Bird Watching
Fort Mose Historic State Park is also a haven for wildlife enthusiasts – specifically birdwatchers!
With 107 different species spotted within Fort Mose’s 40 acres, the park is an official Important Birding Area as sanctioned by the National Audubon Society, as well as part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.4 Notable birding buddies include bald eagles (fittingly a symbol of freedom), the great blue heron, and white ibis! Mose even hosts imperiled species, like the wood stork, within the safety of its lush habitat.
It probably goes without saying, but you’ll definitely want to bring along a pair of good binoculars and your camera so you can capture Mose’s finest feathered friends as they flit through the marsh and maritime hammock!
Various nature trails and boardwalks provide your path toward spotting an elusive songbird, but also showcase scenic views all along the way, making it well worth the walk, even if you aren’t an avid birdwatcher!5 In fact, one of the boardwalks leads to a launching area for kayaks and canoes, so, your time at Fort Mose can take on an aquatic twist.
Whether you’re there for research or the great outdoors – or an awesome combination of both – a day at Fort Mose is most certainly a day well spent!
Research continues at Fort Mose as historians continually uncover more pieces of this remarkable story. It is a tale of bravery, humanity, and common bonds that were stronger than cultural differences; it is a testament to the pricelessness of freedom.
In 1738, Fort Mose was a manifestation of that freedom. It took great individual courage to obtain the liberty offered by Mose, but it was also won thanks to generous, helping hearts – in the form of fellow Africans, Native Americans, and Spaniards – along the way. People working together for the betterment of their neighbors.
This same heart was echoed by Martin Luther King Jr. centuries later when he said:
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”6
martin luther king jr.
Fort Mose is a shining example of what can be accomplished when we ask ourselves this question and bravely act upon it.
Have you been to Fort Mose Historic State Park? Did you get to see a historical reenactment or a bald eagle?? Let us know in the comments below!
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