Green Mound State Archaeological Site

LOCATION

4401 S. Peninsula Dr.
Ponce Inlet, FL 32127

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This large mound was built by early Indigenous People and was used by many generations to between 800 and 1600 CE. Though eroded from its original size, Green Mound at Ponce Inlet is one of the largest shell mounds, or “middens,” of its kind in the United States.


William L. Bryant (an associate of Bullen and Sleight) stands on a ledge of the profile wall of Test 1b of Green Mound. (Photo from THE WILLIAM L. BRYANT FOUNDATION AMERICAN STUDIES REPORT NUMBER TWO: ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF GREEN MOUND FLORIDA, 1960)

Located south of Daytona Beach, Ponce Preserve Municipal Park stretches from the banks of the Halifax River to the Atlantic Ocean. Protecting a cross section of pristine barrier island habitat, the 41-arce park features the Green Mound State Archaeological Site.

A mound or “midden” is essentially a dump site composed of shells, bones, pottery sherds, and other artifacts that were cast aside by the Indigenous inhabitants over many generations. The composition of the midden caused many artifacts to be preserved over the ages. Archaeological surveys of the mound revealed a vertical chronology of the Native Americans who constructed it between 800 and 1600 CE. In fact, the very formation of the midden signified the shift from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle as the mound was created from the shellfish diet that allowed the population to flourish in the area for hundreds of years.

Initial studies of the Green Mound area were conducted in 1948 by archeologist Dr. John Griffin.  Later excavation by Ripley P. Bullen and Frederick W. Sleight (1960) revealed multiple layers of clay floors, remnants of structural components such as postholes, and evidence of ash, fire pits and hearths at the site. It is thought that the dwellings that sat upon the mound were constructed of materials such as palmetto limbs and other local forms of timber such as oak.

Green Mound once rose more than 50 feet above the surrounding landscape but, during the 1920's it was in danger of being completely destroyed (as were many of Florida's mounds). Massive amounts of Green Mound's shell were removed for use in road construction. By 1930, almost one-third of the site had been put into roads! But thanks to concerned citizens, Green Mound was protected and can still be visited today.  Laws are now in place to protect these important historic sites for future generations.

Today, Green Mound is owned by the State of Florida and managed by the Town of Ponce Inlet. Located inside the park of Ponce Preserve, one can walk an easy trail around the mound.


page information credits:
Bullen, Ripley P. and Sleight, Frederick W., "Archaeological investigations of Green Mound, Florida." (1960). Florida Heritage. 9. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/floridaheritage/9, Wikimedia Commons, ponceinlet.org, Historical Marker Database, https://fpangoingpublic.blogspot.com/2016/04/green-mound-millions-of-meals.html 

photos from the sources listed above, as well as publicly posted online sites with thanks to the contributors