Episode 5 of Award-Winning SJC Stewardship Series Features Fort Mose Historic State Park
The video series tells the stories of St. Johns County history, culture, and conservation.
Key Points
- Watch Episode 5 of the Award-Winning SJC Stewardship Series featuring Fort Mose Historic State Park.
- Explore the history, culture, and conservation efforts that preserve Fort Mose and the stories that shape our community.
- New SJC Stewardship Series episodes will be released monthly, highlighting historically and culturally significant locations throughout St. Johns County.
Join Megan Wright, Environmental Specialist, in Episode 5 Part I andEpisode 5 Part II of the Award-Winning SJC Stewardship Series to discover Fort Mose Historic State Park. Explore the entire SJC Stewardship Playlistto watch prior episodes.
The SJC Stewardship Series is a monthly video series highlighting history, culture, and conservation efforts in St. Johns County. The series supports the St. Johns County Strategic Plan priorities of Community Trust and Enhance Conservation.
In this episode, discover how Fort Mose became a refuge for people escaping slavery, how its residents created a distinctive multicultural community, and how decades of research and preservation brought the historic fort back to life.
Established in 1738 by the Spanish governor of Florida, Fort Mose became the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States. The community offered refuge to people who escaped slavery in the English colonies to the north and reached Spanish Florida in search of freedom.
The residents of Fort Mose formed a unique community influenced by African, Native American, Spanish, and English cultural traditions. Under the leadership of Francisco Menendez, Fort Mose also served as part of St. Augustine’s northern defenses and helped protect the Spanish settlement from British attack.
Although the original fort and settlement were eventually overtaken by the surrounding marsh, archaeologists, historians, volunteers, public officials, and community advocates worked for decades to recover and share the Fort Mose story. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
After years of planning and collaboration between the Florida State Parks Foundation, the Fort Mose Historical Society, the Florida Parks Service, St. Johns County, and many others, a reconstruction of the original 1738 fort was completed in 2025. The reconstructed fort provides visitors with a new way to understand the settlement’s design, defensive role, and importance in the broader history of freedom in America.
Today, Fort Mose Historic State Park preserves both cultural history and natural resources. Visitors can explore the reconstructed fort, museum and visitor center, observation boardwalk, picnic areas, birding opportunities, and waterfront landscape.
To learn more about Fort Mose, visit the Fort Mose Historic State Park website.
Watch Episode 5 Part I and Episode 5 Part II of the SJC Stewardship Series to discover Fort Mose Historic State Park. A special thanks to Fort Mose Historic State Park for their partnership and collaboration in the production of this video.
Follow and subscribe to the Official St. Johns County social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn) and explore the SJC Stewardship Series Playlist for prior episodes.
About the SJC Stewardship Series
The Award-Winning SJC Stewardship Series explores the unique cultural and historic resources that define St. Johns County. Each episode showcases a different location, telling the stories of the people, places, and heritage that have shaped the county’s rich history and culture.
How to Watch
Episodes of the SJC Stewardship Series are available across multiple channels to ensure broad public access.
Follow and subscribe to the Official St. Johns County social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn) so you don’t miss an episode and explore the SJC Stewardship Series Playlist.
Episodes and information can also be found on the SJC Stewardship Web Page and on the County’s GovTV channel.
More Episodes Coming Soon
New episodes will be released monthly, each highlighting a different location across St. Johns County. Stay tuned as the SJC Stewardship Series tells the stories of St. Johns County history, culture, and conservation.
Stay informed of more St. Johns County news by subscribing to our e-newsletters and learn how we’re shaping our community’s future by advancing the SJC Strategic Plan through the Office of Public Affairs.
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