Vero Beach in Indian River County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Site of Fort Vinton
Photographed By Jay Kravetz, July 30, 2019
1. Site of Fort Vinton Marker
Inscription.
Site of Fort Vinton. . A few miles southwest of this marker is the site of Fort Vinton. As white settlers moved into Florida, demands increased for the removal of the Seminole Indians to a western reservation. The Seminoles did not wish to leave, and in 1835 the conflict known as the Second Seminole war began. The 1838-39 campaign of that war was planned with the major objective of driving Indians away from settled areas and into the southern part of Florida. New posts were to be built where needed and others, such as Fort Pierce, were to be reoccupied. Supply outposts were needed for field campaigns, and early in April, 1839, such a post, called Fort or Post No. 2, was constructed about twenty miles northwest of Fort Pierce. This fortification was abandoned by or before 1842, when hostilities ended. Early in 1850, when another concerted effort to force the remnants of the Seminoles to emigrate got underway, it was reactivated as Fort Vinton. The post was named for Captain John R. Vinton, who had served in the area during the earlier conflict and had died in the Mexican War. Fort Vinton, an outpost of Fort Capron at Indian River Inlet, was soon abandoned (May, 1850) and is not known to have played a role in the hostilities of the later 1850's.
A few miles southwest of this marker is the site of Fort Vinton. As white settlers moved into Florida, demands increased for the removal of the Seminole Indians to a western reservation. The Seminoles did not wish to leave, and in 1835 the conflict known as the Second Seminole war began. The 1838-39 campaign of that war was planned with the major objective of driving Indians away from settled areas and into the southern part of Florida. New posts were to be built where needed and others, such as Fort Pierce, were to be reoccupied. Supply outposts were needed for field campaigns, and early in April, 1839, such a post, called Fort or Post No. 2, was constructed about twenty miles northwest of Fort Pierce. This fortification was abandoned by or before 1842, when hostilities ended. Early in 1850, when another concerted effort to force the remnants of the Seminoles to emigrate got underway, it was reactivated as Fort Vinton. The post was named for Captain John R. Vinton, who had served in the area during the earlier conflict and had died in the Mexican War. Fort Vinton, an outpost of Fort Capron at Indian River Inlet, was soon abandoned (May, 1850) and is not known to have played a role in the hostilities of the later 1850's.
Erected 1976 by Treasure Coast Chapter National Society Daughters of the
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American Revolution, and Department of State. (Marker Number F-255.)
Location. 27° 38.379′ N, 80° 35.065′ W. Marker is in Vero Beach, Florida, in Indian River County. Marker is on State Road 60 (State Road 60) 0.6 miles east of 130th Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Vero Beach FL 32966, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. When first erected, the consensus was the fort was further east from this location and
Photographed By Jay Kravetz, July 29, 2019
2. Site of Fort Vinton Marker
closer to the Vero Beach Mall. The marker was moved to this location in March 2015.
Photographed By Jay Kravetz, July 29, 2019
3. Site of Fort Vinton Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2019, by Jay Kravetz of West Palm Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 767 times since then and 163 times this year. Last updated on December 20, 2022, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 31, 2019, by Jay Kravetz of West Palm Beach, Florida. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.