Initial search for St. Augustine’s second settlement leaves questions unanswered. (SAR)

Thanks to Dr. DePratter for his work. When he comes back, he needs to look in the southern portion of Anastasia State Park and by the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier Park in St. Augustine Beach, where City of St. Augustine archaeological volunteer, massage therapist Moises Sztylerman has found 100+ pieces of 16th century pottery artifact pieces during his morning runs while taking his beautiful sunrise photos.

Former City Archaeologist Carl Halbirt verifies that there were crossroads of 16th century roads near the pier and Embassy Suites, and that contemporary Spanish documents said the sea was devouring the town, where St. Augustine relocated 1566-1571.

Also, as both Mr. Halbirt and Dr. DePratter confirm, there is an artesian well located half a mile east of the beach, in the ocean. Voila!

Working with the St. Augustine Lighthouse Architectural Maritime Program (LAMP) and the National Park Service, the story of St. Augustine's 1566-1571 location will be found. Then it must be preserved and protected as part of the St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore. Soonest!


Initial search for St. Augustine’s second settlement leaves questions unanswered
By Sheldon Gardner
Posted May 9, 2019 at 6:28 PM
St. Augustine Record

University of South Carolina archaeologist and Research Professor Chester DePratter didn’t find St. Augustine’s second settlement in Davis Shores, but he’s not done with his investigation.

After the city’s founding in 1565, the settlement moved to Anastasia Island in 1566 “in order to defend better against Indian raids and foreign ships trying to enter the port,” according to an article by historian Susan Parker. The city moved back to the mainland about six years later.

While ideas exist about the settlement’s location, no one knows for sure where it was.

DePratter decided to look for evidence of the settlement in a sand ridge, which had been covered by fill around 1925, that is depicted in 18th and 19th century maps, according to a summary of the search efforts from DePratter. He and his team searched for the ridge and 16th century Spanish artifacts for a couple of weeks starting in late April after receiving permission to dig in city rights-of-way and Oglethorpe Battery Park.

The crews completed 176 shovel tests in city rights-of-way and 60 more in the park, according to DePratter. The team confirmed the sand ridge was in the area and found some Native American and 16th century Spanish pottery in rights of way and the park.

But the results indicate that the area wasn’t heavily occupied during the 16th century, though some houses or farm fields may have been in the area, according to DePratter. It’s also possible that some artifacts may have been moved because land has been disturbed over the years.


Another possibility is that the second settlement site has disappeared from Anastasia Island because of erosion.

Aside from details about the second settlement, the digs confirmed that the artillery battery used during James Oglethorpe’s siege of the city in 1740 was on the northern tip of the sand ridge, according to DePratter. The monument to the battery is just north of the site of the battery, but the recreated earthwork of the artillery battery is on top of the original site.

DePratter plans to research maps and Spanish documents to see if remains of the second settlement might be somewhere else.

“I would like to thank the residents of North Davis Shores who allowed us to dig holes in the manicured front lawns as we searched for this missing piece of St. Augustine’s history,” DePratter said in a prepared statement. “Everyone showed great interest and acceptance of our work.”