Fort King Site
National Historic Landmark

Fort King Site

Ocala, Marion County, Florida
Listed
February 24, 2004
Type
Site
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
04000320

About this property

Fort King (also known as Camp King or Cantonment King) was a United States military fort in north central Florida, near what later developed as the city of Ocala. It was named after U.S. Army Colonel William King, commander of the 4th Infantry Regiment and the first American governor of the provisional West Florida region. The fort was built by the U.S. Military in 1827 during tensions with the Seminole in Florida, a tribe of mostly Creek people who formed in the early nineteenth century. The fort was established originally to serve as a buffer between new settlers and the Seminole. It became an important base in the 1830s for the United States Army during the removal of the Seminole and the Seminole Wars. 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 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, beginning as early as 6500 BC, more than 8,000 years ago.

Location

Ocala, Marion County, Florida

Categories

HISTORIC - ABORIGINALPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTMILITARY
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Questions about this property

When was Fort King Site listed on the National Register?

Fort King Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 24, 2004.

What type of historic resource is Fort King Site?

Fort King Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Fort King Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Fort King Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Fort King Site?

The period of significance for Fort King Site is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1827.

Can I research the history near Fort King Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort King Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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