Ancient Peoples Kiosk and Shell Mound Observation Deck

Shellfish were collected and used by the Native Americans of Florida since they arrived at the end of the last Ice Age, about 14,000 years ago. Read the panel to learn more about how shellfish were intertwined with every aspect of Native cultures, including food, materials, and rituals. Then, explore the observation deck and other trails at Shell Mound to observe wild oyster reefs as well as tour the shell middens that give this area its name. While you tour, reflect upon how our relationship to shellfish has changed through the years.