Dunlawton Beach Live Cam

This county is big in size and Indians sites that you can visit. The ancient Timucuans lived along the Atlantic coast in the east and St. Johns River on the west. During the Second Seminole War, the Seminoles destroyed the many sugar plantations in the area and used the abandoned buildings as their own dwellings.

When the Spanish arrived in Florida, it meant the end of an Indian culture that had lasted here for thousands of years. There are ancient mounds and villages all over the county.

Tick Island in the Lake Woodruff Wildlife Refuge was one of the most significant sites in central Florida. The mound on this island was inhabited by 4000 B.C., and some of the earliest pottery found in North America was discovered here. The ancient Floridians kept a charnel house here, where important leaders were placed when they died. One of the tribe members would protect and care for the dead, and also keep away animals from disturbing the bodies. Unfortunately the shell mound here was mostly destroyed about 30 years ago as a source for road fill. The place is appropriately named, because I found plenty of ticks here.

The Spruce Creek Mound at Spruce Creek State Park was still inhabited as an important mound village when the Spanish arrived. Unfortunately looters have destroyed much of the important evidence that would have told us about these ancient Floridians.

Green Mound is a state historical site at Ponce Inlet. You can still see it between the beach and highway A1A, off of Peninsula Drive.

The Ross Hammock Site was another midden where early Floridians lived from the time of Christ to 1400 A.D.

Other Second Seminole War Forts:

Fort McCrea was in the area of Tomoka State Park. The remains of the fort are known as the Addison Blockhouse, and can still be visited today, but with much difficulty going through the woods. The blockhouse was made to guard a local plantation known as Carrickfergus. The South Carolina militia soldiers who manned the blockhouse in early 1836 barely survived at least one skirmish against the Seminoles and abandoned it soon after.

Fort Kingsbury was on a former Indian mound on the north shore of Lake Monroe, known as the Enterprise Mound. This fort was at times used as a recreation area for the soldiers across the lake at Fort Mellon. The mound was destroyed years later by weather and taken away for road fill.

This popular park is famous for the manatees that come here for the warm spring waters in the winter. Although most people don't know it, these slow moving, peaceful animals were an easy food source for the ancient Timucuans.

Where the spring run meets the St. Johns River, is the Thursby house, an early pioneer house. The house is also on top of the Thursby Mound. Items excavated here showed that this was once an important mound village, with clay figures of plants and animals found in the mound. Also something that is really rare found in the mound: small gold and silver objects. These objects are very unusual for this area, and look like Calusa objects found in southwest Florida, or the Lake Jackson Mounds near Tallahassee. This mound was inhabited from 500 B.C. to 800 A.D., which is about the same time that the Crystal River mounds were active.

Nowhere else in central Florida have we found gold or silver objects, but looters are still destroying mounds for false beliefs of treasure stashes. Maybe one day these excavated items will be returned from the museums up north, and brought home to Florida for local Floridians to see and learn about their ancient heritage.

While visiting here, you can take a two-hour river trip on a pontoon boat operated by Hontoon Marina. This excursion will take you up the old logging canals and creeks, and along the scenic St. Johns River. You can also board at Hontoon Marina instead of Blue Springs, which will save you the admission charge into the park. This is a trip that the whole family will enjoy, but there is an admission charge for this boat ride; about $10 for adults.

Near Blue Springs is another state park, which is a large island in the St. Johns River. This place also had a mound village. You can visit the mound by a one-mile nature trail from the main dock. Underwater were found some beautifully carved wooden animal totems. The most interesting one of an owl totem pole has a replicate at the front of the park. Although the owl usually represents death, it was a powerful bird to be respected. It would have been a powerful clan symbol. This mound was inhabited from about the time of the birth of Christ to the Seminoles in the late 1700's. The only way to reach this island is by boat, but there is ferry service operated from the small parking area each day. Also on this island is an observation tower you can hike up and see the surrounding river and boat marina.

There are two large mounds that you can easily visit in this national park. The first one is Turtle Mound, which has a boardwalk and interpretive signs. It is 50 feet high, but with the scrub bushes and trees on top, it is hard to imagine its real size. At one time it was probably 75 feet high and inhabited year-round. When it was an ancient Timucuan village, the Cacique (chief) probably had a hut on top with a spectacular ocean view. It was still inhabited when the Spanish visited in 1605. Castle Windy Midden is another mound not far away along the Indian River with access by a nature trail. It has been mostly destroyed by road construction, and doesn't have a nice boardwalk like Turtle Mound. It was inhabited the same time as Turtle Mound, and part of the same village.

Traveling to Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is world famous for spring break. The beaches there are so beautiful and you can drive on them! There is a boardwalk with an amusement park that has lots of rides, games and LOTS of fair food…….gotta love that!

They have a very nice water park called Daytona Lagoon. There are huge water slides, a lazy river, an arcade, laser tag, miniature golf, a rock wall and go carts; the prices are pretty reasonable too.

If you want to fish, you can cast a rod out on the Daytona pier; the ocean is there for the taking! You can always rent rods if you don’t have your own and buy bait there as well. There is wind surfing, wind sailing and even surfing lessons if you like real excitement.

Another thing Daytona is famous for is the Daytona International Speedway. Races are only certain times of the year and if you’re lucky enough to be in town during one, you’ll have a blast and may even run into someone famous! For the rest of the year, they have the Richard Petty Driving Experience that allows you to drive like a NASCAR driver and they always have tours.

There are many museums to see and the night life is just fun, fun, fun. Bike week is held in Daytona every year and is held a week before spring break. Thousand’s of bikers gather there every year and just like spring break, its one big party.

If you are trying to plan a vacation to Daytona and want to save money, I recommend you NOT go during spring break or bike week. You still get all the fun but just with less people; A LOT less people!

January, February and September are the best months for saving money here.