Archaeological Zones

Zone I

DeBry drawing showing historic Native Americans
performing the Black Drink Ceremony.

Zone IA

Zone IA occurs in the colonial downtown district north of the plaza, with archaeological deposits dating from the 17th century onward. Numerous landmarks in Zone IA include Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the City Gate, and the Cubo Line. Settlement in this zone initially occurred on an elevated dune ridge–along present-day St. George Street–spreading east and west in the late 1600s and early 1700s.

Zone IB

Zone IB contains archaeological deposits that date from the 16th century onward. Included in this zone is the original downtown settlement of St. Augustine, established in 1572, and the Plaza, established in 1598. The original settlement is depicted on the Baptiste Boazio Map (1586), the oldest-known illustration of a European community in the continental United States. The original town was sited on a large plot of elevated land. Other historical sites in Zone IB include the 17th- and 18th-century church and cemetery of La Soledad.

Zone IC

Zone IC extends from St. Francis Street to the end of Marine Street and includes archaeological deposits associated with that portion of the colonial-walled town between St. Francis Street and San Salvador Street, the 17th- to 18th-century Franciscan convento (now the headquarters of the Florida National Guard), and the 18th-century Yamassee mission community of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de la Punta, which is sited just to the south of the colonial walled-city.

Zone ID

Zone ID contains a variety of archaeological deposits that represent more than 4,000 years of human occupation. Represented are prehistoric Native American sites, including the historic Timucuan Indian village of Seloy, the location of the 1565 Menéndez encampment, the 17th- to 18th-century historic Indian mission community of Nombre de Dios, and an 18th-century British farming enterprise.

Zone IE

Zone IE contains archaeological deposits associated with the 18th-century African-American site of Fort Mose, the first free Black community in the continental United States. Also represented are prehistoric and 18th-century Native American settlements.

Zone II

Zone IIA

Zone IIA, which occurs along the west banks of the Intracoastal Waterway, contains a wide variety of archaeological sites associated with prehistoric Native American and historical European settlements along Hospital Creek. Included in Zone IIA are portions of the 18th-century mission site of Nombre de Dios (including the shrine of La Leche), an 18th-century defensive alignment known as the Hornwork, an 18th-century British farming enterprise, and the 19th-century Abbott Tract–the first neighborhood in St. Augustine outside of the colonial downtown district.

Zone IIB

Zone IIB contains archaeological deposits found along the west bank of Maria Sanchez Lake, such as those associated with 19th-century urban agricultural enterprises and the African-American community of Lincolnville, which post-dates the Civil War.

Zone IIC

Zone IIC contains archaeological deposits associated with the Indian mission community of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción de Pocotalaca, established by the Yamassee during the 18th century. This zone also has archaeological deposits associated with 19th-century urban agricultural enterprises, such as the Martin Hernández orange grove.

Zone IID

Zone IID contains archaeological deposits associated with the Indian mission community of Nuestra Señora de la Assunción de Palica, established in the 18th century by Timucuan Indians. Also present are deposits associated with the 19th-century African-American community of Lincolnville.

Zone IIE

Zone IIE contains archaeological deposits associated with the Indian mission settlement of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Tolomato, established by Guale Indians in the 18th century. Also present are deposits associated with the 19th-century Model Land Company development of the area that commenced in the late 1800s.

Zone IIF

Zone IIF contains the late 18th to late 19th-century Catholic cemetery of Tolomato, which had been the site of the 18th-century mission church for the Tolomato mission settlement.

Zone IIG

Zone IIG contains archaeological deposits associated with the 19th-century Fairbanks plantation site as well as the southwest portion of the 18th-century Mose Line, a defensive earthen berm associated with the Second Fort Mose (1752 to 1763).

Zone IIH

Zone IIH contains archaeological deposits that occur along the 17th- to 18th-century road that led from the coquina-stone quarries on Anastasia Island to Escolta Creek, where the stone was then ferried over to St. Augustine. Also present in Zone IIH is a large prehistoric Native American site that dates to the Orange Period (ca. 1,500 B.C.) and late Woodland Period (ca. A.D. 700 to 900).

Zone III

Zone IIIA

Zone IIIA includes those areas of Lincolnville not already incorporated into Zones IIB, IIC, and IID. Lincolnville was established by African-Americans after the Civil War and is a vibrant component of St. Augustine's multicultural history. Also represented are 18th-century British defensive fortifications and 19th-century urban agricultural enterprises.

Zone IIIB

Zone IIIB is on Anastasia Island. Included in this zone are archaeological deposits associated with lookouts and lighthouses that were both beacons and guardians of St. Augustine's harbor. Also present are the historic coquina-stone quarry pits, where stone for construction has been actively quarried since the late 1670s.

Zone IIIC

Zone IIIC contains archaeological deposits associated with prehistoric and historic occupations along Oyster Creek.

Zone IIID

Zone IIID contains archaeological deposits associated with prehistoric and historic occupations along the east bank of the San Sebastian River.