From an account of the 1937 plan by the Carnegie and Smithsonian institutions, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Social Science Research Council and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, to make St. Augustine a "great laboratory of history," an endeavor cut short by World War Two.  

The inspiration for this huge project came in the first instance from Mr. Walter B. Fraser, mayor of St. Augustine. Mr. Fraser is manager of the Fountain of Youth Gardens, St. Augustine's most popular tourist resort.

In 1934 workmen digging holes in which to plant orange trees in the Fountain of Youth Gardens unearthed a human skeleton. Further digging uncovered more bones. It was apparent that this had been the site of an ancient cemetery.

Indian burials at Fountain of Youth

Recalling the tradition that the Indian village of Seloy, described by early historians, had stood at or near this spot, Mr. Fraser appreciated the possible archaeological value of the discovery and asked the Smithsonian Institution to send a scientific research man down to St. Augustine.

Dr. M. W. Sterling, ethnologist of the Smithsonian, came down and identified the skeletons as Indians. Mr. J. Ray Dixon of the Smithsonian staff and an archaeologist of note, directed the uncovering of the entire area, disclosing hundreds of skeletons which had been buried under Christian influence, as indicated by the postures with the hands crossed over the breast.

This was regarded by the Smithsonian as a highly important archaeological discovery, and the greatest pains were taken to collect and study the beads, decorations and other artifacts which had been buried with the bodies.

Housed under a thatched log structure built after the style of the Timucuan council houses, the Indian graveyard became an added attraction for tourists; but of far greater consequence, his observation of the methods of archaeological research impressed Mr. Fraser with the possibility of applying such methods to the study of the entire ancient city.

He went to Washington and there found that Dr. John C. Merriam, president of the Carnegie Institution, and his staff, had been casting about for an opportunity to put their combined knowledge and resources to work upon just such a project.

The National Park Service, whose interest arose from its custody of Fort Marion, the well-preserved ancient Spanish fortress which has long been one of the principal tourist attractions of St. Augustine and which is now a National Monument, was also called into consultation.

The result was the establishment of the National Committee for the Preservation and Restoration of St. Augustine. The actual work of restoration began in March, 1937, on a program planned to cover several years, and to make of St. Augustine the chief center of historical information and study of the life of pioneer America.

   Image from www.ancientfaces.com. The remains were on exhibit until 1991, when the Timucua Indian Nation asked for the bones to be reburied. The site remains preserved at the Fountain of Youth.

 

This year, give the gift of history, St. Augustine Bedtime Stories, dramatic accounts of famous people and events in St. Augustine's history. Information here.