Fort King
Fort King (also known as Camp King or Cantonment King) was a United States military fort in north central Florida, near what later developed as the city of Ocala. It was named after Colonel William King, commander of Florida's Fourth Infantry and the first governor of the provisional West Florida region.
Fort King Site | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
U.S. National Historic Landmark | |
Historical marker near site of the fort | |
| Location | Ocala, Florida |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 29°11′20″N 82°04′56″W |
| Built | 1827 |
| Architectural style | Fort |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000320 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 2004 |
| Designated NHL | February 24, 2004 |
The fort was built in 1827 during United States tensions with the Seminole in Florida, a tribe of mostly Creek people who formed in the early nineteenth century. Originally established to serve as a buffer between new settlers and the Seminole, the fort became an important base in the 1830s for the United States Army during removal of the Seminole and the Seminole Wars. It later served as a courthouse in 1844 after the organization of Marion County, but was eventually abandoned altogether. Residents took it apart to salvage building materials. The site of the fort is preserved as a National Historic Landmark near the corner of East Fort King Street and 39th Avenue in Ocala. In late 2017, the fort was newly reconstructed to be as historically accurate as possible.
Archeological investigation has revealed the site was occupied during two lengthy periods by varying cultures of indigenous peoples, beginning as early as 6500 BC, more than 8,000 years ago.