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Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

Archaeology in Pensacola

— Colonial Archaeological Trail —

 
 
Archaeology in Pensacola Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 9, 2021
1. Archaeology in Pensacola Marker
Inscription. Archaeology, the study of past peoples and cultures, can reveal clues that often are not recorded in historical documents. For example, although documents and maps showed that the British Commanding Officer's Compound was located here, those papers did not record what the officers were eating, drinking, and doing. Archaeological investigations uncovered these details. Archaeology can also tell us about "forgotten people"-women, children, slaves, native peoples, and others who were not considered important enough to record. Archaeological remains are all around downtown Pensacola, buried under the streets, sidewalks, and buildings. These remains sometimes only consist of stains in the soil that show where a structure used to be. They are fragile and often are damaged or destroyed by digging, construction, and vandalism. The City of Pensacola works with the University of West Florida to protect and study this heritage, and to share it with citizens and visitors. The excavations along the Colonial Archaeological Trail reveal the daily lives of the people who lived in the Fort of Pensacola. Take a walk along the Trail and follow in their footsteps as you explore the past!
 
Erected by University of West Florida Historic Trust, UWF Archaeology Institute, Florida Public Archaeology
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & ArchaeologyColonial Era.
 
Location. 30° 24.519′ N, 87° 12.762′ W. Marker is in Pensacola, Florida, in Escambia County. It is on Zaragoza Street west of South Tarragona Street, on the right when traveling west. Located in Museum Plaza behind the Pensacola Museum of History. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pensacola FL 32502, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Commanding Officer's Compound (here, next to this marker); American Period (here, next to this marker); Wells and Cellars (here, next to this marker); Colonial Cooking (here, next to this marker); First Spanish Period (a few steps from this marker); Second Spanish Period (a few steps from this marker); British Period (a few steps from this marker); Stop and Smell the Roses (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pensacola.
 
Another marker is no longer nearby. The End of the Colonial Era in Florida (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed).
 
Regarding Archaeology in Pensacola. The Colonial Archaeological Trail is a collection of outdoor exhibits relating the
Marker is next to the two poles on extreme right foreground. image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 9, 2021
2. Marker is next to the two poles on extreme right foreground.
Fabric overs the former area of excavation.
Spanish, British, and American occupations of Pensacola. This interpretive trail highlights the rich deposits of colonial history and archaeology in the heart of downtown Pensacola.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on October 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 10, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 393 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on October 10, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
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Jun. 27, 2026