Crystal River Archaeological Site (Citrus County, Florida)

 

Escaping the cold temperatures that have hit the Atlanta area for a few days, I'm on my way to northern Florida for a few days to do some paddling in my new kayak on the spring-fed rivers of the area. On my way, I decided to stretch my legs at a couple of interesting sites. The first of which is the Crystal River Archaeological Site near the town of the same name.

This Native American site contains six mounds, similar to those found in the Mississippian Culture, but overlooking the nearby salt marshes. Many of these mounds were used for burials. It is believed that around 7,500 people were buried in and around the complex from around 250 BCE until around 1600 CE. The area has been preserved as a Florida state park.

I take a short walking tour of the area and try to take in the historic nature of the site. The largest of the mounds, Temple Mound, was partially partially cut away prior to the site's preservation. Now, a wooden staircase allows access to the summit. From there, the observer gets a birds eye view of the river and salt marshes that border it, as well as the entire complex itself, though several trees have grown from and over many of the mounds.

It's a very interesting site and well worth a visit if you are in the area, but for now, I must move on. I still have miles to go before I reach my final destination on this trip.