Manager's Message
Autumn has arrived and brought us cooler weather and shorter days. Fall offers a great opportunity to enjoy the crisp air, migratory birds and the peaceful marsh. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk or pack a lunch and enjoy the afternoon at the picnic pavilion. Don’t forget your camera; the crisp fall sky against the marsh is picture perfect!
Fort Mose Historic State Park’s annual Flight to Freedom, a living history event, has been scheduled for February 21, 2009 from 10am – 3pm. Please plan to join us as re-enactors in period clothing tell the story of Fort Mose.
History of Fort Mose tours are available. Please schedule at least two weeks in advance. Please call the Park Office at 904-823-2232 for reservations.
- Paul Crawford, Park Manager
Welcome to Fort Mose Historical State Park
The power politics of 18th century England and Spain reached across the Atlantic to the Florida frontier. In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida chartered Fort Mose as a settlement for freed Africans who had fled slavery in the British Carolinas. When Spain ceded Florida to Britain in 1763, the inhabitants of Fort Mose migrated to Cuba. Although nothing remains of the fort, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 for its importance in American history. Visitors may view the site from a boardwalk and stop for a picnic in a covered pavilion. Located approximately two miles north of the Castillo de San Marcos near the St. Augustine City gates on U.S. 1. Turn east off U.S. 1 onto Fort Mose Trail and follow the signs to the site.
Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Fort Mose Historical State Park, please call (904) 823-2232.
Hours of Operation
The Visitor Center is open Thursday through Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. The grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.
Driving Directions
From St. Augustine: From downtown St. Augustine, drive north on A1A. At the carousel (you read it correctly), continue straight north on San Marco. (A1A turns right towards Vilano Beach. Don't go that way.) San Marco merges with Hwy 1. Shortly after the merge, look for a bronze statue on the right and a sign for Fort Mose. Turn right on Fort Mose Trail. Fort Mose Trail dead ends into Fort Mose picnic area and parking lot. OR: From Hwy 1 in St. Augustine, drive north past Hwy 16. Look for a bronze statue on the right and a sign for Fort Mose. Turn right on Fort Mose Trail. Fort Mose Trail dead ends into Fort Mose picnic area and parking lot. From Jacksonville: Drive south on Hwy 1. Turn left on Saratoga. (If you pass Hwy 16 you've missed Fort Mose Trail.) Fort Mose Trail dead ends into Fort Mose picnic area and parking lot.
Park Fees
As of July 1, 2007, visitors to Fort Mose will need to stop by the entry gate to pay an entry fee. Fees will be $2.00 per vehicle and $1.00 for individuals who walk in or for bicyclists. For more information, please contact Fort Mose Historic State Park at 904-823-2232.
Fort Mose Historical State Park
c/o Anastasia State Park 1340A A1A S.
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
Phone: (904) 823-2232
Fax:
Citizen Support Organization
Fort Mose Historical Society
c/o Anastasia State Park
1340-A A1A South
St. Augustine, FL 32080-5422
904-461-2000
