Fort Christmas
Posted by: 
overrover
N 28° 33.723 W 081° 01.304
17R E 497874 N 3159466
An accurate reproduction of the fort built on Christmas Eve and Day in 1837 during the Seminole War
Waymark Code: WMFTZ
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 06/27/2006
Views: 54
As white settlers moved into Florida in the 1820's and 1830's, there were growing demands that the Seminole Indians be removed to a reservation west of the Mississippi. Efforts to convince the Seminoles to move failed, and in 1835 the conflict known as the Second Seminole War began in earnest. Late in 1837, Maj. Gen. Thomas S. Jesup, overall commander in Florida, began intensive preparations to carry the fighting to south Florida, where he believed he would find a large force of hostile Indians. These preparations included opening a road on the west side of the St. Johns River and building along the road several posts to serve as depots for operations to the south. On Decmeber 25, 1837, troops under the command of Brig. Gen. Abraham Eustis established Fort Christmas on the north side of a creek a short distance from here. General Jesup himself led the column south from Fort Christmas early in January. By late January Jesup's troops were receiving their supplies by water from the St. Lucie River, and in March Fort Christmas was abandoned. While this simple wooden fortification was short-lived, it gave its name to the town of Christmas, a short distance south of here.
Fort Christmas is located in Christmas, Florida just off State Road 50, twenty miles east of Orlando enroute to Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Canaveral National Seashore in Titusville.
On December 25, 1837, a force of 2,000 U.S. Army Soldiers and Alabama Volunteers arrived near this spot to construct a fort which was aptly named, Fort Christmas. This fort was only one of over 200 forts built during the Second Seminole Indian War, 1835 - 1842. The fort houses exhibits and a video presentation on the Seminole Indian Wars.
Visit the full size replica of Fort Christmas. Seven restored historical homes preserve the 'Cracker' architecture of East Orange County. The houses are interpreted to show pioneer life from the 1870s through the 1930s. Key themes are homesteading, cattle, citrus, hunting, fishing and trapping. The Fort Christmas Historical Society and Orange County Parks and Recreation Division.
HOURS
Summer -- 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Winter -- 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Gift Shop
Operated by the Fort Christmas Historical Society
Items for sale include Pioneer and Native American toys, jewelry, crafts, books and candy. All proceeds benefit Fort Christmas Historical Park.
Now located in the new Visitors Center
Open Daily 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
For Additional Information:
Fort Christmas Historical Park
1300 Fort Christmas Road (C.R. 420)
Christmas, Florida 32709
Telephone: 407-568-4149
Marker Number: F-252
Date: 1976
County: Orange
Marker Type: Roadside
Sponsored or placed by: Orange County Historical Commission in cooperation with Department of State
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
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