“Viva Mose!” On a sunny Friday in early May, senior officials, state park rangers and community members gathered at Fort Mose Historic State Park near St. Augustine. Chorus – translated as “Long Live Fort Mose!” – celebrated the ribbon cutting of a newly constructed replica of the Fort 1738, which holds a special place in American black history.
In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida chartered the Fort Maws settlement as a shelter for those fleeing slavery from the British colony of Carolina. Over the decades, an estimated 100 Africans have made the first legally licensed free black community at a facility in front of the US facility into their homes and safe shelter from British control.
“The reconstruction ensures their legacy as a tribute to the brave men and women who founded Fort Maws in 1738,” said Charles Ellis, president of the Fort Maws Historical Society. “By bringing this fort back to life, we will improve our ability to tell stories through onsite events, group tours, lectures and virtual seminars. This will mark the fourth and fifth grade students, “Where is Fort?”
This reconstruction was made possible due to extensive research on the site, which began in the 1970s and 1980s, led by Dr. Kathleen Deegan, professor of archaeology, anthropology and history at the University of Florida, and Jane Landers, professor of history at Vanderbilt University.
Financial support for the project has raised a total of $3.2 million to turn this dream into reality, including Florida State Parks, St. John’s County, Florida Power and Light, Wells Fargo, the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, and the Florida State Park Foundation.
“The rebuilding of Fort Mose was a labor of love, dedication and unwavering commitment that began in 2012,” Ellis said. “When we fractured the ground in the reconstruction of Fort Maws, we didn’t just build a wall. We paid tribute to the resilience and determination of the freedom seekers who made it possible to North America’s first legally sanctioned free black settlement.”
In addition to exploring the indoor museum in Fort Mose and St. Augustine’s history timeline, visitors can walk through a full-fledged replica of the 39-foot-high Lookout Tower, which helped residents of Fort Monitor for enemy attacks. The re-enactors light up history and help visitors imagine what life in the 1730s was like during special events and tours completed with drills, pageants and cannon fire.
Construction of the replica fort began in January 2024, 30 years after the site was designated as a national historic landmark. Florida State Parks Director Chuck Hatcher said the project was what made it happen.
“Archeologists, CSOs, volunteers, park staff, department staff, artists and civil servants have all worked together to make this project come to fruition,” he said. “I want to think if people who were former members of Fort Mose were here, they would be proud of what we did and what they had.”
There is no blueprint on how to build Replica Fort 1738, but the design was put together with the goal of being as authentic as possible, keeping in mind the climate of Florida. The walls of the fences that hold the fort and the structural support beams are made like wood but are made of concrete.
Now, state park officials and volunteers who helped the project gather together are celebrating the story of courage, resilience and freedom the fort tells.
“We’re a great fan of the Florida State Park Foundation,” said Kathleen Brennan. “May the fort last more than 300 years to honor those who made a living here and inspire visitors around the world.
Find @pconnpie on Instagram or send an email at pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date with coverage of your latest travel, arts and events by subscribing to our newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
Fort Morse Historic State Park
If you go: Admission to the Park Ground is free. Entering the Visitor Center costs $2 per adult. Children under the age of 6 will be hospitalized for free. Open 365 days a year, from 9am to 5pm. It is located at Fort Most Rail 15 in St. Augustine. 904-823-2232; floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/fort-mose-historiic-state-park
