Native American history and culture is found throughout the State of Florida.
To preserve it, the Indian Temple Mound Museum opened in Fort Walton Beach in 1962. With more than 1,000 Native American artifacts, the Indian Temple Mound Museum is a guaranteed way to satisfy even the most discerning history buffs.
Located just outside the museum doors is the Indian Temple Mound itself. This small, green patch of land is a lush oasis in the middle of downtown. Remnants of a wooden structure were excavated from the top of the mound. After intense research and further discovery in the area, it was determined that this would have been the site where the most senior of the elite class resided.
In 1976, a replica of the building was erected to give an example of the type of building that would have originally been on the mound. Further discoveries have revealed that an entire town probably surrounded the mound at one point.
Unfortunately, recent hurricanes on the Gulf Coast have uprooted trees that once provided shelter for the mound and surrounding areas. Because of this, places that would normally have been safe from erosion are now exposed. For this reason, Fort Walton Beach and the Indian Mound Museum are joining forces to ensure the mound’s preservation.
The best way to help is to stop by the mound and museum for a visit. Admission and purchases made in the museum store directly support the preservation efforts. Because of the delicate state of the mound, the museum and city ask that visitors take only photos and refrain from walking on the mound itself.
The Indian Temple Mound Museum is located at 139 Miracle Strip Parkway SE in Fort Walton Beach FL. For more information or pricing, call (850) 833-9595.
