Archaeologists interested in WEC Jockey Club It’s his time to shine Native American and historic artifacts discovered during CRAS survey

By Rosemarie Dowell rosemarie@ocalagazette.com

Arecent Cultural Resources Assessment Survey (CRAS) of the WEC Jockey Club property has identified nine new archaeological sites, three of which were recommended for avoidance or further testing to assess their eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Those are the major findings by the nationwide archaeological firm SEARCH Inc., which conducted the Phase I survey in December on behalf of the 1,000-plus-acre property’s owner, Golden Ocala Equestrian Land, LLC., which plans to develop it.

Of the nine newly recorded sites on the site located on West County Road 318 near Irvine, four are Native American, one is historic while the remaining four have historic and Native American components, according to the

CRAS, a copy of which the “Gazette” obtained March 23 through a public records request.

Although no structures, human remains or other evidence of Fort Drane, a Second Seminole Indian War fort erected on the sugar mill and cotton plantation of Col. Duncan L. Clinch in 1835 were found, one of the sites was tentatively identified as possibly containing artifacts that date to the fort’s period of occupation, the CRAS noted.

At 3,000-acres, or four-square miles, the plantation, with multiple structures, likely encompassed most if not all the Jockey Club property as well adjacent land, including a large mining operation directly to the south.

Whether Golden Ocala decides to investigate further the three newly recorded sites that were recommended for further testing or avoidance remains unknown.

Dr. Joe Knetsch,

Ph.D.,

a retired research historian for the State of Florida and noted expert on the Seminole Indian Wars who has written extensively about Fort Drane, said SEARCH fell short in the Phase I survey, which he’s read, especially in its shovel testing.

“There were an awful lot of buildings on the plantation and up to 3,500 soldiers camped at Fort Drane at one time, as well as many civilians and volunteers,” said Knetsch. “Why haven’t we seen any historical or archaeological evidence of that? They should have done more testing and looked a little harder.”

SEARCH’s fieldwork included the excavation of 564 shovel tests, along with metal detecting throughout the massive property, including areas closest to the purported location of the fort itself, a 150-yard-by-80-yard fenced enclosure with two blockhouses and several other buildings.

But Knetsch, author of “Fear and See Archaeologists, page A4