Fort San Marcos del Apalache

Thanks to funding from SEA’s 2019 Elsaesser Fellowship, my Expedition continues...



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 San Marcos de Apalache is a Spanish colonial fort also known as Fort St Marks for the City within which it now resides. The original Spanish construct was composed of wooden buildings and a stockade built in the late 17th century. The original fortification was destroyed by a hurricane which also drowned the entire Spanish Garrison.

This fortification lies near what is considered to be the Native American city of Anhaica which was used as a winter Bivouac for Hernando de Soto in his quest for gold before he moved north through Georgia.

The remains of the stone fort on site were originally constructed by the Spanish in 1753.  Following its occupation by Spain, it was shortly occupied by Great Britain before returning to Spanish control. It was later taken by Andrew Jackson for the United States and, occupied by the Confederacy as a hospital, before being returned to U.S. control.

While occupied by the U.S. Military The Fort St. Marks Military Cemetery was established. A total of 19 U.S. Servicemen were buried here.























Marker Erected 1965 by Florida Board of Park and Historic Memorials in cooperation with Florida State Society and Dominie Everardus Bogardus Chapter, Colonial Dames XVii Century.
(Marker Number F-131.)

Full Inscription as follows:

"Wooden stockades were built here by the Spanish in 1680 and 1758. In 1758, these were destroyed by a hurricane which drowned the garrison. A masonry fort was begun in 1759 but was soon abandoned to the Indians for a trading post and Indian rendezvous. It was reoccupied by the Spanish in 1783. General Andrew Jackson seized and occupied the fort in 1819. It became a United States possession in 1821 upon purchase of the territory from Spain.

It was occupied as an army post until 1824 when the Indians were moved to a reservation. The Town of St. Marks was created by an act of Congress in 1830 and became a port of entry before railroads were extended to the seaboard. The fort was re-established and occupied by the Confederate Army during the Civil War and a Federal Naval attack on the fort was repulsed in 1865."

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