Category: Florida Archaeology

History is the Real Treasure: The 1733 Spanish Galleon Trail

The Spanish treasure fleet of 1733 wrecked in a violent hurricane along 80 miles of the Florida Keys. With the discovery of the first shipwreck in the late 1940s and the growth of scuba diving in the 1950s and 1960s enabling treasure hunters to locate most of the rest of the fleet, these wrecks suffered from haphazard digging and the loss of much information. Today, these shipwrecks are among the oldest and most vibrant artificial reefs in the Keys. This lecture describes a State of Florida project to record and interpret the 1733 fleet that resulted in the production of a booklet and website devoted to telling the story of the fleet disaster and to promoting the archaeological importance of the sunken ships as tangible remains of our maritime heritage.

Presented by:
The Staff of the Northwest Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/nwrc/presentations.php

USS Massachusetts: History and Archaeology of the Nation’s Oldest Battleship

Just outside Pensacola Pass lie the remains of our nation’s oldest existing battleship, USS Massachusetts (BB2). Launched in 1896 as part of the New Steel Navy, the powerful warship soon was rendered obsolete by naval technological advances. Nevertheless, Massachusetts had an exciting career of combat, training, and target practice, and now is a massive artificial reef. This presentation describes the ship and her long life of service to the nation and to Pensacola.

Presented by:
The Staff of the Northwest Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/nwrc/presentations.php

Shipwrecks of the Blackwater River

A major tributary of Pensacola Bay, the Blackwater River flows through the pine forests and fertile uplands of Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties. Historically, commerce along the river included shipyards, brick kilns, and lumber mills, all of which used the river for transport of supplies and products. The remains of many of the watercraft engaged in these industries lie hidden in the dark water, some of which have been archaeologically investigated. This lecture describes these vessels, ranging from lumber schooners to steam tugs to snapper smacks.

Presented by:
The Staff of the Northwest Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/nwrc/presentations.php

Shipwrecks of Pensacola

The excellent port of Pensacola was long the focus of European rivalries in the New World because control of the harbor helped ensure dominance of the northern Gulf Coast. Shipwrecks litter the bay and surrounding waterways, many of which have been identified and archaeologically investigated. This presentation describes a variety of Pensacola’s historic shipwrecks from Pensacola’s Spanish, British, early American, and Industrial Expansion periods.

Presented by:
The Staff of the Northwest Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/nwrc/presentations.php

Shipwrecks of Northwest Florida

The Panhandle of Florida is the site of hundreds of historic shipwrecks, the result of centuries of maritime commerce, conflict, and travel. Three of these wrecks are featured in this presentation: USS Massachusetts, the nation’s oldest battleship sunk for target practice off Pensacola; SS Tarpon, a merchant vessel famous for its weekly trips between Mobile and Panama City until it was lost in a gale; and Vamar, sunk at Port St. Joe under mysterious circumstances during World War II.

Presented by:
The Staff of the Northwest Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/nwrc/presentations.php

Digging Through the China Cabinet: An Archaeological Perspective on Ceramics

This lecture discusses the different type of historic ceramics commonly found throughout Florida at historic archaeological sites. It also discusses the manufacturing techniques used to create the various vessels commonly associated with each type.

Presented by:
The Staff of the North Central Region
Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)
Submit a Speaker Request Form:
http://fpan.us/ncrc/presentations.php