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The National Park Service says the current fort model is constantly damaged by flooding, so the agency proposed building a new one at higher ground.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Building something new to protect some old history.
The National Park Service is worried that the Fort Caroline replica might soon become submerged, prompting plans to construct a new version further inland, allowing people to continue engaging with its history.
“Historically speaking, the Spanish noted that the fort would be underwater at high tide, so our current situation accurately reflects that,” stated Steven Kidd, Chief of Science and Resource Management at the National Park Service.
Fort Caroline is having the same issue it had nearly 500 years ago – flooding.
The model at the Fort Caroline National Memorial was built in the 1960s right on the St. Johns River, where it has been flooded time and time again.
“Just like the French and Spanish lost the original Fort Caroline, we’re on the verge of losing this replica,” added Kidd. “Our goal is to avoid repeating that error.”
Kidd explained that taxpayer money is regularly used to refurbish the Fort Caroline model after flooding events, predicting that in the next 50 to 100 years, it might be completely submerged.
So before that happens, the National Park Service has a plan to build a new one to replace it.
“The new design will retain elements like the original fort’s arch,” mentioned Kidd. “It will also include two raised boardwalks providing views of the St. Johns River.”
The National Park Service has just concluded a public feedback period for the proposed fort redesign, and Kidd plans to address several concerns that have already surfaced.
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The “fort” that stands on the river now is not the one built by the French in the mid-1500s – it’s a smaller replica built in the 1960s.
“It’s not real,” said Kidd. “It’s a replica, and it’s at a 2/3 scale. Just doesn’t make good financial sense to keep putting money into that.”
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If they replace the replica with a new one, the waterfront land won’t be developed.
“Allow that area to return to native vegetation,” said Kidd.
The reimagined fort would include markers to show the full size of the original fort and will have an amphitheater in the middle for NPS employees to put on programs.
“There’ll still be something for people to do when they come to Fort Caroline,” said Kidd.
The National Park Service reports construction could be complete by spring 2027.
