St. Augustine Archaeological Association Monthly Meeting

In the mid-19th century, the safest route to St. Augustine was not by sea, which involved navigating a treacherous inlet, shifting sands, and sunken vessels, but rather passage across land from the St. Johns River. To aid this travel across land, a rail line was built connecting St. Augustine with Tocoi which lies directly west of the City.

Prior to this industrial connection, the settlement of Tocoi held a thriving Spanish moss industry and fortification constructed during the same period as Fort Mose. As early as 1602, Tocoi is recorded as a Christianized Indian village, but holds extensive archaeological history predating the formation of the Pleistocene dunes system and includes pre-ceramic society along the St. Johns River. This talk will discuss the history of the site, recent efforts to record its archaeology, and the preservation risks the site faces.