Fort Mose in St. Augustine is the site of the first legally sanctioned free African American settlement. While the fort itself no longer stands, the site it stood on is full of groundbreaking history. In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida chartered the settlement of Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mosa or Fort Mose. This was the very first of its kind because it was built specifically for people fleeing slavery from the English colonies in the Carolinas.

The fort has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark since 1994 and in 2009, the National Park Service titled Fort Mose as a precursor site of the National Underground Railroad Network. The exciting history of this site fascinates visitors from all around. Guests can stroll along the scenic boardwalk and take in the landscape of where the fort once stood. A Visitor Center and museum are available for guests to explore and learn more about the history of Fort Mose.

Contact information

    Email
/
    Website
/

   

  

Featured Organizations

EMMA Concert Association

Presenting beautiful music in beautiful St. Augustine at the Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College! EMMA’s mission is to offer quality music and dance performances by national and international artists. They also aim to encourage interest in classical music and to provide opportunities for the youth of St. Johns County. EMMA accomplishes this by offering school concerts in local schools and funding requests from music teachers for instruments and equipment.

Historic Florida Militia

historic-militiaThe Historic Florida Militia (HFM) is a non-profit umbrella organization supporting re-created historic interpretive units and representing a number of cultures and time periods. "We are not street performers, we are educators. We are not parades, we are historic programs. This is not an exercise in free speech, this is an opportunity to educate. We are not promoting a political agenda, we are promoting the city's history through a practical and factual teaching method".

Crisp-Ellert Art Museum at Flagler College

crisp-ellertBuilt in honor of Dr. JoAnn Crisp-Ellert and her husband, Dr. Robert Ellert, the Crisp-Ellert Art Museum offers Flagler College students and the Northeast Florida community a venue for fostering knowledge and a deep appreciation of contemporary art. As an educational resource for the College, the Museum exhibits regional, national and international artists, and provides opportunities for critical engagement and exposure to a variety of exhibitions and personal interactions with visiting artists. The Museum challenges students, the Flagler community and the public to cultivate individual creativity, critical reflection, historical consciousness and respect for the free exchange of ideas. In this spirit, the Museum also hosts public programs, including artist talks, readings, panel discussions and film series that provide a platform for vital interdisciplinary dialogue.