Addison Blockhouse Historic State Park is a
state park located in Volusia County, Florida. It features the Addison Blockhouse, a small
coquina rock ruin that was on a 19th-century
plantation
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
and served as a kitchen as well as a
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
.
To preserve its cultural heritage, the site is not open to the public. The park is accessible by boat going across the
Tomoka River.
History
The Addison Blockhouse was built on a 19th-century plantation called Carrickfergus, established by
John Moultrie. The blockhouse was originally an outside kitchen for Moultrie's
overseer. Later the plantation was owned by John Addison, and then Duncan McRae. The plantation grew cotton and sugar from 1816 to 1836. During the
Second Seminole War, the plantation was attacked on March 10, 1836. Two soldiers were killed and scalped at the site. The blockhouse was fortified by the
Carolina Regiment of Volunteers to defend against 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, ...
s, and became known as "Camp M'Rae".
The plantation struggled financially and was later abandoned. The blockhouse was restored in the early 20th century, and has since been owned and maintained by
Tomoka State Park.
[Wayne 2010, p. 169]
Description
The Addison Blockhouse is now a roofless ruin. It is about 11.5 feet by 15 feet in size. It contains a circular tower in one corner, 6 feet in diameter and 11 feet in height, as well as a large
fireplace
A fireplace or hearth is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design ...
. It has six foot walls with an
embankment
Embankment may refer to:
Geology and geography
* A levee, an artificial bank raised above the immediately surrounding land to redirect or prevent flooding by a river, lake or sea
* Embankment (earthworks), a raised bank to carry a road, railwa ...
and
moat.
There is also an adjacent
foundation
Foundation may refer to:
* Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization
** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S.
** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...
and walls of a
sugar mill from 1832 during the time McRae owned the plantation.
See also
*
List of Florida state parks
There are 175 state parks and 9 state trails in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than , providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists.
Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non- ...
References
External links
Official page at Florida State ParksFlorida Seminole Wars Heritage Trail.
{{Protected Areas of Florida
State parks of Florida
Parks in Volusia County, Florida
Second Seminole War fortifications
Protected areas established in 1945
1945 establishments in Texas