Fort King (also known as Camp King or Cantonment King) was a United States

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

in north central

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, near what later developed as the city of

Ocala Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Florida, United States. Located in North Central Florida, the city's population was 63,591 as of the 2020 census, up from 56,315 at the 2010 census and making it the 43rd-most popul ...

. It was named after U.S. Army Colonel

William King William King may refer to: Arts * Willie King (1943–2009), American blues guitarist and singer * William King (author) (born 1959), British science fiction author and game designer, also known as Bill King * William King (artist) (1925–2015), ...

, commander of the 4th Infantry Regiment and the first American

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of the provisional

West Florida West Florida () was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. Great Britain established West and East Florida in 1763 out of land acquired from France and S ...

region. The fort was built by the U.S. Military in 1827 during tensions with the

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

in Florida, a tribe of mostly

Creek people The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek or just Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language; English: ), are a group of related Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsSeminole Wars The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were a series of three military conflicts between the United States and the Seminoles that took place in Florida between about 1816 and 1858. The Seminoles are a Native American nation which co ...

. It later served as a courthouse in 1844 after the organization of Marion County, but was abandoned altogether, eventually. The residents took it apart in order to salvage building materials. The site of the fort is preserved as a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

near the corner of East Fort King Street and 39th Avenue in Ocala. The fort was reconstructed in order to be as historically accurate as possible in late 2017. Archeological investigation has revealed the site was occupied during two lengthy periods by varying cultures of

indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

, beginning as early as 6500 BC, more than 8,000 years ago.

History

Prehistory

Archaeological investigations have revealed that the area was inhabited long before the arrival of the Spanish in the area. At least two periods of occupation have been identified: between 6500 and 2000 B.C., and 200 to 1500 A.D.

The fort

Fort King was constructed by the United States Army in 1827 to serve as a buffer between the Seminole (who occupied territory to the south according to the Moultrie Creek Treaty reservation area) and European Americans settling north of this point. It was located at the nexus of a system of military roads. Fort King Road led from the fort to Fort Brooks (near Orange Springs); Fort McCoy; a ford at the

St. Johns River The St. Johns River () is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and is the most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders 12 counties. The drop in elevation from River s ...

which became the town of Astor; Palatka,

Jacksonville Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

, and

Fort Brooke Fort Brooke was a historical military post established at the mouth of the Hillsborough River (Florida), Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa, Florida in 1824. Its original purpose was to serve as a check on and trading post for the native S ...

(on

Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater i ...

), among others. The fort fell into disuse after 1829. The fort was activated as a base for the United States removal of the Seminole to

Indian Territory Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...

west of the Mississippi River, in 1832, as part of the Treaty of Payne's Landing. The

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups of people collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Muscogee, Creek and Black Seminoles as well as oth ...

, beginning in late 1835 in central Florida, heightened the importance of the fort. It was a center of United States military activity during the next seven years, due to its strategic location. On December 23, 1835, a

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

column led by Major Francis L. Dade departed from Fort Brooke (present-day Tampa), to reinforce and resupply the garrison at Fort King. Along the way, the column was ambushed by Seminole warriors in what is now known as the Dade Battle on December 28, 1835. On that same day a group of Seminole raiders assassinated U.S. official Wiley Thompson at Fort King. These two Seminole attacks marked the beginning of the Second Seminole War. In July 1836 the Seminoles burned down Fort King after it was abandoned by the U.S. Army. However the U.S. Army later returned and rebuilt Fort King in April 1837. In May 1839 the Macomb Treaty, a peace treaty negotiated between U.S. Army General Alexander Macomb and the Seminole tribe, was created at Fort King. However this peace treaty would fall apart just two months later after the Battle of the Caloosahatchee. The fort was used in 1844 as the first county courthouse after the organization of Marion County. The building was abandoned eventually. Early settlers thoroughly took apart the fort to salvage building materials.

20th century to today

In October 1927, the founding members of the Ocala Chapter

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a Genealogy, lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a Patriot (American Revolution), patriot of t ...

purchased the fort's memorial property, vowing to promote and protect its history for future generations. They raised the funds to erect a granite monument on the property to honor the men who bravely served our state and country here. On August 26, 2017, the Ocala Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution continued the tradition by hosting a remembrance and dedication ceremony at the Fort King property and a granite bench was dedicated. The 1953 movie ''Seminole'' is set around Fort King, although the events portrayed are historically inaccurate. In 2013 the Fort King Heritage Association was formed to develop, promote and protect the site. In the fall of 2017 a replica of the fort was reconstructed on the original site; the site is 37 acres of undeveloped, vacant land in the middle of a residential area. The site is owned by the City of Ocala and Marion County. Three historical markers commemorate the site: a Memorial Marker near the Fort Site, a

near the former location of the fort (it was designated in February 2004), and a marker at the old Fort Cemetery Site. In December 2022, the Festival of Fort King, which includes living history events, returned to the park.

References

External links

About Marion County
a
Marion County Board of County Commissioners

Ocala
a
Ocala, Marion County Chamber of Commerce

''Ocala Star Banner''
official website *
"Archaeologists digging up Fort King's past"
, ''Ocala Star Banner'', 1 January 2003 *
"Fort King built to keep Whites and Seminoles from fighting"
, ''Ocala Star Banner'', 1 January 2003 *
"Marion County History's Silent Sentinel - Fort King"
, ''Ocala Star Banner'', 1 January 2003 *
"70 Years later, Fort King Marker rededicated"
, ''Ocala Star Banner'', 1 January 2003 *
"Florida's 'Crossroads' "
, ''Ocala Star Banner'', 1 January 2003 *
"Fort King site selected for national protection"
, ''Ocala Star Banner'', 1 January 2003

a
The Florida Seminole War 1792-1859

a
American Forts Network
* http://www.ocala.com/news/20171128/fort-king-reconstructed
Florida Seminole Wars Heritage Trail.
{{authority control Archaeological sites in Florida

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

National Historic Landmarks in Florida Buildings and structures in Ocala, Florida National Register of Historic Places in Marion County, Florida

Pre-statehood history of Florida Former populated places in Florida Former populated places in Marion County, Florida Former county seats in Florida 1827 establishments in Florida Territory Daughters of the American Revolution buildings Daughters of the American Revolution monuments and memorials Second Seminole War fortifications