America’s oldest city just revealed a jaw-dropping secret that was hiding right under everyone’s feet.
This incredible discovery proves once again that American history is far richer than the Left wants us to believe.
And you’ll be shocked at what archaeologists just uncovered in this historic Florida city.
Hidden British fort discovered beneath American streets
St. Augustine, Florida, established in 1565, has long been celebrated for its Spanish colonial heritage.Â
But archaeologists recently made a stunning discovery that sheds new light on a forgotten chapter of American history.
While conducting a routine archaeological review for new construction in the historic Lincolnville neighborhood, city archaeologists uncovered something unexpected – the remnants of an 18th-century British fort, complete with a moat.
Andrea White, St. Augustine’s city archaeologist, told Fox News Digital that the fortification was part of a series of defensive structures built during Britain’s brief 20-year control of Florida.
“In St. Augustine, everyone thinks about the Spanish period, but we actually had a 20-year period where the British were in control of both East and West Florida,” White explained.
The redoubt, a small military outpost with a moat, was constructed in 1781 when the British feared Spanish attacks during the American Revolution.
“The Spanish actually attacked both [the port of] Mobile and Pensacola,” White said. “So there was a great fear that there could be an attack on St. Augustine.”
A rare glimpse into America’s British colonial period
What makes this discovery particularly significant is that it’s one of the few purely British constructions in the city.Â
During their occupation from 1763 to 1783, the British typically modified existing Spanish infrastructure rather than building from scratch.
“Everything else was either already here and the Spanish built it, and the British might’ve modified it a little — but this was something that was uniquely British,” White noted.
The archaeological team believes at least six more similar redoubts remain undiscovered around St. Augustine, now that they know what to look for.
Curiously, the excavation yielded very few artifacts – just some pottery fragments, shotgun pellets, and small pieces of lead used in firearms.Â
But the moat contained well-preserved seeds that could reveal what plants were cultivated during the British period.
“They were really well-preserved because it’s kind of in the water table at this point in time. The water table has risen over the last few centuries,” White explained.
America’s rich archaeological heritage often overlooked
White emphasized that many Americans don’t realize just how much archaeological treasure exists right here in the United States.
“I think sometimes we’re surprised: ‘Wait, there’s archaeology in America, in our own backyard?'” she said. “Yes, there is archaeology everywhere.”
Katherine Sims, a research and collections archaeologist from the city’s Planning and Building Department, confirmed that ongoing excavations revealed how the abandoned fort naturally deteriorated over time.
“The tall earthen rampart that ran parallel to one side of the moat began naturally eroding back into the depression, likely over a period of several years,” a statement from the archaeology team read.
Eventually, the remnants were pushed back into the moat, and by the early 1800s, the area was converted into agricultural fields associated with the Bousquet/Yallaha orange grove enterprise.
St. Augustine’s city archaeology program conducts over 60 projects annually, continuously uncovering new insights into America’s complex colonial past.
This discovery reminds us that American history is filled with unexpected chapters that deserve to be remembered and preserved for future generations.
