Manatee and Sarasota County

Manatee County

There used to be a few large mounds at Shaw's Point, but they were destroyed to become landfill. One mound here was said to be 450 feet long and 20 feet high. Many glass European trade beads were found there, and many people say that this was proof that DeSoto landed there. (The exact site of DeSoto's landing in 1539 is still uncertain, with possible locations all along the West Coast.) In this area is the DeSoto National Memorial, which has a museum remembering DeSoto and the Spanish of 1539. There is ancient Floridian artifacts on display here that were found in the area. Artifacts recovered show that the former mounds were occupied from about 500 B.C. until European contact.

Ancient Floridians had a big village at Anna Maria Island when Ponce de Leon visited in 1513. Remains of the people in this area show influence from the Weeden Island culture from the north, and Glades culture towards Lake Okeechobee. Maybe even a transition zone between Calusa and Timucuans.

The town or community of Angola was established up the Manatee River as a haven for runaway slaves around 1813. It was a town of Spanish, Seminoles, and free people of African descent. The British had hoped to use this as a community to stop the advancing Americans who were rapidly gaining control of the southeast from the old European countries.

Billy Bowlegs from an early daguerreotype.

By the early 1850's one of the few important Seminole War Chiefs left in Florida was Billy Bowlegs. Historical sources also mention names of Oh-lach-ta Miko or Assinna Othulkee-thloko, but the most quoted is Holatta Micco, which means "Blue Chief." His clan was of mixed Muskogee and Miccosukee Indians. He is not to be confused with King Payne's brother Bowlegs, who ruled the Alachua Seminoles during the First Seminole War. Billy Bowlegs was nephew of Micanopy, so he was the hereditary leader of the Cowkeeper dynasty or Alachua Seminoles.

Billy Bowlegs would frequently visit the settlers in the Manatee River area, and became a good friend to many of them. The settlers believed that he did as much as he could to keep the peace, and that the only reason why the Third Seminole War started was because of dishonest and thieving white men, and not because of Billy and his people. Billy went so far to keep the peace, that he turned over three Seminoles to the civil authorities who had been burning settlements in 1849.

Billy would delight in giving people a surprise. White women and children told stories about working in the garden when they were suddenly startled to find Billy standing nearby. All would have a good laugh, and the Indians would often show up to visit or dinner unannounced; usually donating some spoil from a recent hunt to the family in gratitude.

Billy was always well dressed. All paintings and photos we have of him show him wearing very fine Seminole attire. He wore two peace medals: One with the portrait of Millard Fillmore, which he received on a trip to Washington around 1852, and another with Martin Van Buren, which probably came from talks with the Seminoles in 1838 and 1839.

During the Third Seminole War, this once peaceful area became very dangerous from raids or attacks. Many of the homesteads in the area came under the torch. The settlers fled to nearby forts for protection and lived there for most parts of 1856 and 1857. The Braden plantation became full of white refugees when the forts were too full. The Seminoles carried off most of the slaves, but many escaped or were recaptured by the militia. The slaves seemed to prefer plantation life instead of life with the Indians. (Much different from the time of the Second Seminole War; probably because the poor and very uncertain living conditions of the Florida Indians.)

Ruins of Braden Castle. During the 3rd Seminole War, the Braden home became a refuge for the settlers because of the strongly built stone walls. The house burned in 1903, and the walls remained an empty shell for a few years. Looking in the Photo Archives for the State of Florida (where I found this photo), it looks like that by the 1930's, the building was restored and turned into a condominium.

Branch Fort was at Manatee Mineral Springs, and many of the homesteaders fled here for protection from roaming bands of Seminole or Miccosukee warriors. The springs were also popular among the local Indians years before. Another fort overflowing with settlers was Fort Hamer on the Manatee River, which recently had a historical marked put up for it, in memory of a local historian Jimmy Harrison Jr.

Other Seminole War Forts: Fort Starke and Crawford.

PLACES TO VISIT:

Madira Bickel Mounds State Archaeological Site:

These mounds are in the northwest of the county on Bayshore Drive, not far from Highway 19. There is one large temple mound at this site. There are also two burial mounds and a shell midden in the area.

This was the first mound site in the state to become a state archaeological site. In 1948 Mrs. Madira Bickel from Sarasota purchased this area and donated it to the state. She and her husband did much to help preserve mounds on the West Coast of the state. Too bad they weren't around 50 years earlier when many mounds in the state were destroyed for profit.

It was believed that this mound was part of the village of Ucita, visited by DeSoto in 1539. Before the coming of the Spaniards, it was estimated that Native Floridians lived here for at least 1000 years.

Not a large park, but just a trail that goes up to the top of the mound.

Snead Island / Emerson Point Park

This area became a county park in 1991. Before that, it was a private homestead for the previous 125 years. There are several nature trails, an observation tower, and picnic area. But the most interesting are five mounds near the entrance of the park.

Walking on a nature trail with interpretive signs, you first reach a boardwalk that goes up the back side of the temple mound. There are five mounds, one platform temple mound, a bird mound, a snake mound, and two other mounds. It is estimated that these were inhabited during the Mississippian period until Spanish occupation of the area.

Since this is a relatively new county park, much work is still planned for the future. Since it was a homestead for a long time, you can still see building foundations on the temple mound. The mounds are currenly overgrown with vegitation, so you do not see them through the trees. You can go up a boardwalk on the temple mound for a nice overlook of the area. The mounds used to surround a water court, and in the early 20th century, it was filled with royal palms planted down a walkway. This is a real nice setting that looks into the mouth of the Manatee River.

De Soto National Memorial, Bradenton:

I haven't been to this one in so many years that I am due for another visit.
The park commemorates DeSoto's landing in 1539 at the village of Chief Uzita. Living history demonstrations from December to April.

South Florida Museum, Bradenton:

I haven't been to this one yet, so if anyone has a report, please let me know.
Said to contain one of the largest collections of aboriginal artifacts.

Sarasota County

Like most of the gulf coast counties, there were many villages along the coast where ancient Floridians fished and built temple mounds. Mounds studied here show evidence of Tocobaga mounds, which resembled the Mississippian culture, and lived right next to the Calusa from southwest Florida.

Little Salt Springs near North Port is a 250 feet wide limestone sinkhole that has produced many artifacts of early Florida hunters dating back to 10,000 B.C. Long ago this was a fresh water spring, and it attracted many animals. Florida back then was a much drier place, and the oceans were much lower. One thing that early Floridians like to hunt was a now extinct giant land tortoise, and there has been one of these tortoise shells found here that is pierced by a spear point. (Not open to the public.)

Another big area of occupation from archaic to Seminole times was the Myakka River.

Fort Myakka was along the river of the same name during the panic of 1849.

PLACES TO VISIT:

Warm Mineral Springs:

One of the most spectacular underwater archaeology sites in the world has been found here. Deep inside the spring caverns, fossils have been found dating over 20,000 years. Remains of village life dating back 10,000 years have been the most important find found inside Warm Mineral Springs. During the time when the planet was cooler, more ice around the north and south poles created a lower water level than where the oceans are today. Because of the lower water level, what today is an underwater cave was back then a dry cave, good for a village site. Water around Florida is the best medium to protect archaeology finds.

Unfortunately, state funding cuts put an end to the archaeology excavations in 1992. The spring is in danger of not being protected for the future.

Historic Spanish Point:

This park was where the first white settlers in the county lived, and they even had enough interest to save some local mounds or middens that are inside the park. These mounds date before 2000 B.C., which even pre-dates pottery. There is also a museum with exhibits on the early Floridians who built the mounds. This museum is one of the best on the west Florida coast about early Floridians, and even shows you a cross section of one of the mounds to look at the various stages of occupation. If you are ever near Osprey, check it out. Small admission charge to get into the park.

Indian Mound Park:

At Paulson's Point, at the town of Englewood, is what is also known as the Sarasota County mound. This park has walkways that go over and around the mound. There are many interpretive signs along the trail. Coontie plants grow over the mound; these were an ancient starch staple that could make nice bread after the poison was filtered out. Early Floridians lived here from around 1000 B.C. to 1350 A.D.

Indian Mound Park (Paulsen Point) Englewood:

I haven't been to this one yet, so if anyone has a report, please let me know.
Nature trails and a mound.

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© 1998, 2002, 2007 Chris Kimball
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