Weeden Island cultures are defined by ceramics, which fall into two categories, sometimes called secular and sacred. A centerpiece diorama dominates the interior of the museum, depicting a scale model of the site as it may have looked centuries before its abandonment. Crystal River Archaeological State Park: Native American Mounds and artifacts - See 357 traveler reviews, 222 candid photos, and great deals for Crystal River, FL, at Tripadvisor. At high tide, thats not an option. The area is called Heritage Village. In the late 1800s and through the mid 1900s, most of the middens and mounds in Florida were completely removed or reduced in size for building material. There are wire ropes on each side of the run to help, but people were really working hard and that was at low tide, when they could touch the bottom. The largest stela on the Crystal River site has a outline of a human head and shoulders carved into one side of it. Crystal River Room Escape immerses you into a mind-boggling mystery indoors that you have to solve in one hour. 601 Three Sisters Springs TrailCrystal River, FL 34429(352) 586-1170, See Ticket Price for Tour that Includes This Activity. Glide your way through Crystal Rivers nature trails, beachside boardwalks, gorgeous bridges, and historic neighborhoods. Next image. It is the only place in Florida to develop programs where you can swim with the manatees. Most of the stone projectile points found at Crystal River were used as either cutting/slicing/scraping tools or as the tips of atlatl darts. Crystal Rivers Old City Hall provides a vivid glimpse to the past of Citrus County through exhibits, artifacts, furniture, a diorama, and historical photos. Crystal River Preserve State Park is a massive mosaic of salt marsh, tidal creeks, mangrove islands, hardwood forests, coastal scrub, and pine flat woods. A small museum has interesting artifacts and the picnic tables along the water are a great place to relax. The temple mound at the Crystal River Archaeological State Park in Crystal River. With Crystal Rivers endless natural landscapes, this Segway tour is a unique, refreshing way to explore the coastal city. This carving shows that the person represented possessed long hair in a plume over the left shoulder. 352-795-3817. He published illustrated reports of his excavations in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The park is located two miles (3km) northwest of the city of Crystal River, on Museum Point off U.S. 19/98. We only know about them from what they left behind,such as the mounds, their burials, and their grave goods. Re-publication without written permission is against the law. Its gorgeous: A rare freshwater spring that has never been developed as a swimming hole or park, still featuring natural lush vegetation around its vivid and clear turquoise waters. These activities included small game hunting, collecting plants, fishing and shellfish harvesting. The complex contains burial mounds, temple/platform mounds, a plaza area, and a midden. Crystal River Archaeological State Park preserves an ancient Native American ceremonial site located in a beautiful setting overlooking the wide Crystal River.The mounds here are surprisingly impressive, but little is really known about the people who built them starting 2,500 years ago. Afterwards, slide back down via seven zip lines! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We went on toward Three Sisters Springs, but before we got there, a manatee swam under our canoe in KingsBay. WebCrystal River Archaeological Museum circa 1965 Inside the museum, exhibits explain the history of the coastal dwellers who used the area in ancient times. It is the longest occupied site in Florida for over 1600 years. Major attractions include the Crystal River State Archaeological Site, which protects significant indigenous structures, and the Eco-Walk Trail, which offers 11 interpretive stations providing family-oriented natural education. This name means that the clay was tempered with sand (sand was added for stability and durability) and it LISTEN TO AN EXPERT (CENTER) TO LEARN MORE. A National Historic Landmark, this 61-acre, six mound, pre-contact, Native American site has burial mounds, temple platform mounds, a plaza area and a substantial midden. Solve puzzles, crack codes, find hidden objects, use your wits, and unravel the mystery at hand with your own detective squad! It is believed that 7,000 to 10,000 people would come to the Crystal River site each year. Under the title of Crystal River Indian Mounds, it is also a U.S. National Historic Landmark (designated as such on September 29, 1970). Recommended Hotel Nearby: The Port Hotel and Marina, 2355 S Ripple PathCrystal River, FL 34429(352) 228-8095, Click Here to See Ticket Price of Similar Activity. At this particular site there were at least four of these large stones placed by the inhabitants in their ancient time. LOCATION 3400 N. Museum Point Crystal River FL 34428 VIEW MAP PHONE 352-795-3817 CALL NOW WEBSITE floridastateparks.org BROWSE HOURS 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year Museum open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through FSP.Feedback@FloridaDEP.gov, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The springs are surrounded by a 57-acre refuge weaved by scenic nature trails and a boardwalk. Web Crystal River Archaeological State Park. Florida Rambler was founded in 2010 by Bonnie and fellow journalist Bob Rountree, two long-time Florida residents who have spent decades exploring the Florida outdoors. Built in 1939, this old city hall currently houses a local history museum. If youre looking for cheap adventures, there are miles of trails for you to explore this public ancient site, and the expansive marsh offers anglers limitless opportunities to fish for saltwater and freshwater catches. Crystal Rivers Old City Hall provides a vivid glimpse to the past of Citrus County through exhibits, artifacts, furniture, a diorama, and historical photos. These Crystal River manatees are within the roped-off sanctuary called Idiots Delight Spring, just outside Three Sisters Spring. Major attractions include the Crystal River State Archaeological Site, which protects significant indigenous structures, and the Eco-Walk Trail, which offers 11 interpretive stations providing family-oriented natural education. Great read, so what's the latest updated info? The World Famous Crystal River Site (Part I)By Jason D. Moser and Richard Estabrook Florida Public Archaeology Blog, Ceramic Technology Lab, University of Florida Museum of Natural History https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/ceramiclab/, Trail of Florida's Indian Heritage, Inc. | Site Design and Management by Runjik Productions, https://doi.org/10.1080/0734578X.2016.1252190, https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/ceramiclab/. Where you get the trolley to Three Sisters Springs: Three Sisters Springs Visitor Center915 N Suncoast Blvd. After enjoying the best things to do in Crystal River, FL, why dont you get to know the struggles of the areas first inhabitants? U.S. National Register of Historic Places, "National Register of Historical Places - Florida (FL), Citrus County", "Crystal River Archaeological State Park Unit Management Plan", "During tough times, ancient tourists sought solace in Florida oyster feasts", Crystal River State Archaeological Site pictures, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, List of archaeological periods (North America), Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, History of the National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crystal_River_Archaeological_State_Park&oldid=1096288032, National Register of Historic Places in Citrus County, Florida, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 July 2022, at 13:56. This quaint little museum is one of the most iconic things to see in Crystal River, especially for history buffs. correct change is required. Over the course of 20 years Moore excavated countless sites in Florida. The height of the mound was about 30 feet above the midden it was built on. Bone points were hand crafted through carving to form the desired shape. This 61-acre archeological site has burial mounds, temple/platform mounds, a plaza area, and a substantial midden. The folks at. This means that their cultural practices (such as mound building and how they buried their dead) and artifact types (pottery, arrow points, jewelry) are similar to other peoples on the Central Gulf Coast of Florida during this same period (200 A.D. to 800 A.D.). Also See:Things to Do in Clearwater BeachThings to Do in Clearwater, FLThings to Do in Punta Gorda, Florida, 10830 W Bentbow PathCrystal River, FL 34428(352) 601-4687. Crystal River Archaeological State Park This ancient archaeological park is home to Native American burial mounds, abandoned temple and platform mounds, and so much more. Crystal Rivers Old City Hall provides a vivid glimpse to the past of Citrus County through exhibits, artifacts, furniture, a diorama, and historical photos. Unlike the modern landfill which will only be used for several years and then filled over, the Native Americans continued to use the same area for hundreds of years. Swimming with manatees is controversial. Copper items found in the Crystal River site would have originated from the area of the Ohio River near the Great Lakes. Swimming in 72 degree water is chilly and most snorkelers wear wetsuits. WebTop ways to experience Crystal River Archaeological State Park and nearby attractions Crystal River Inshore Fishing Charter Adventure Tours from $486.87 per group (up to 2) Clear Kayak Tour of Crystal River 587 Recommended Adventure Tours from $75.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Crystal River Manatee Swim in Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge Over a period of approximately 1,600 - 1,900 years, beginning about 500 BC, the Native Americans at the Crystal River site threw away great quantities of "midden material". This 80-acre wildlife refuge was established in 1983 to protect West Indian manatees. (850) 245-2157, Or send an email to: This mound is much longer than Temple Mound A and is not as high, it is called Temple Mound H. The site contains burial mounds, temple/platform mounds, a plaza area, and a substantial midden. The visitor center/museum features an open captioned video about the tribes that once lived in the area, and houses a collection of artifacts from the site, including arrowheads, pottery, jewelry, stone and bone tools. Discover charming small towns and insider tips to hidden gems. Later, Bullen was instrumental in the establishment of the Crystal River Archaeological State Park in 1962. It was a platform where ceremonies could take place and be seen by the people watching from the commons area. It is estimated that about 1,200 to 1,500 people were buried in this complex. It is at this point that the sites along the Crystal River began to be occupied for all time. [citation needed], The park is also home to a limestone slab, possibly a "stele", on which is a crudely carved human face and torso. Crystal River Archeological State Park is one of the educational activities in Crystal River Florida. Archaeologists call one Mound "J", the Village Mound, and the other is called "K", the Priest Mound. Placed on a base of sand, the additional elevation has saved, with rare exceptions, river flooding events from entering the building. Looking for free things to do in Crystal River? The building housed the Mayors Office, the Police Department, the jail and the fire truck. These sand burial mounds along coastal Florida are believed to represent local lineage burial grounds rather than the resting place of an elite individual. Also found in the Midden Area are various kinds of woodland animal bones, fish bones, turtle shells, broken pottery, broken hand tools and arrowheads. (And I suspect there would be crowds.). @Barbara: Three Sisters Springs has a wheelchair accessible boardwalk. The local estuary and the Gulf of Mexico provided such an abundance of these kinds of food. This tells us that over the 2,000 years that ancient people used the site, burial practices and ceremonies changed. If swimming with manatees, scallop hunting, and exploring Floridas dark history sound like your next escapade, here are the best things to do in Crystal River, FL to get you started. Another prominent Florida archaeologist that excavated the Crystal River site was Ripley P. Bullen, who began investigating the site in the early 1950s. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Dinner Bell Motel, 16000 W Fort Island TrailCrystal River, FL 34429(352) 527-7540. Other items found include;ornaments manufactured from conch shells, clay pipe parts, a drilled bear teeth,copper ear spool, copper pan pipe frame, and sheet of mica, galena lead globules, shell beads, and bone pins. The park is located two miles (3 km) northwest of the city of Crystal River, on Museum Point off U.S. 19/98. I cant recommend a particular outfitter, but the wildlife refuge offers a list of licensed companies. The trolley leaves from the Visitor Center, 915 N Suncoast Blvd., Crystal River, every 30 minutes. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Quality Inn Crystal River, 498 SE Kings Bay DriveCrystal River, FL 34429(352) 564-8687. Full size is 650 500 pixels Previous image. Limestone tempered and St. Johns styles include;Pasco Plain (predominantly found type),Pasco Check Stamped,Pasco Red,St. Johns Plain,St. Johns Check Stamped,St. Johns Incised, and St. Johns Scored. Their articles have been published in the Sun Sentinel, the Miami Herald, the Orlando Sentinel, The Guardian and Visit Florida. These qualities make it especially useful as a tool to understand the lives of people in the past. Similarities between these artifacts at Crystal River and those at sites in the Hopewell People that were buried later did not have this type of artifacts buried with them and some burials do not contain artifacts. Perhaps the people traveled for many days to meet at Crystal River to socialize, trade their goods, or attend religious ceremonies. 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