National Public Lands Day at Arch Creek Park

On Saturday, September 26, FPAN joined Arch Creek Park to participate in National Public Lands Day. From a National Public Lands Day brochure:

"There's a special joy in getting our hands dirty when it helps keep our land beautiful. Consider that one-third of the land in America is ours - public land where we can all hike, climb, swim, explore, picnic, or just plain relax. National Public Lands Day is an opportunity to help spruce up these lands while helping us get back to some of the places we love."

At Arch Creek, neighbors and park naturalists helped beautify natural areas by removing invasive plants and mulching and lining trails.

FPAN set up a booth with information about the organization.

Dr. Michele Williams, director of the Southeast Regional Center of FPAN, gave a tour of the trails at Arch Creek Park.

A Tequesta Indian site is marked along the trail. Dr. Williams showed us a Tequesta midden and mound also located within the park.

Photography by:
Jillian Krickovich & Rob Freund

Coming Up: National Public Lands Day at Arch Creek Park

National Public Lands Day

at Arch Creek Park

- a local community building event -

Saturday, September 26, 2009

FPAN will be joining Miami-Dade County in a celebration of National Public Lands Day.

Come help us beautify our natural areas by assisting park naturalists remove invasive plants, mulch trails, and have fun getting back to nature! After getting down and dirty join us for a picnic, and some fun in the sun. Call for more information.

Date: Saturday September 26th, 2009

Time: 9-12 Volunteer Day

12:30-3 Volunteer Picnic

Contact person: Paula Schneeberger or Loren Vanheuveln

Arch Creek Park

Phone: 305-944-6111

Fax: 305-787-5390

E-mail: ArchCreek@miamidade.gov

Flyer: http://www.flpublicarchaeology.org/serc/documents/NPLDFlyer2.pdf

To find more FPAN events, go to: http://www.flpublicarchaeology.org/serc/events.html

Exploring Indian Mound Park

Indian Mound Park is located at the corner of SE 13th Street and Hibiscus Avenue in Pompano Beach, overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. The park is so named because it is the site of a prehistoric Indian burial mound.

The park was first dedicated in 1940 as a bird sanctuary. In 1958, during Pompano Beach's Golden Jubilee, the park was rededicated as Indian Mound Park.

In the 1930s and 40s, many professional and amateur archaeological investigations took place here. Through these investigations, archaeologists determined that the mound was constructed around the year 1300 AD as a place for ceremonial burials. It is thought that the builders of the mound were ancestors of a tribe known as the Tequesta Indians.

Historical Museum of Southern Florida

The Tequesta built the mound by carrying baskets of sand from the beach back to this site. Before burial, the bodies of the Tequesta dead were taken to a special house and allowed to decompose. The bones were then cleaned, bundled together, and taken to the mound to be buried.

The mound is about 16 feet high. A walking path winds through the park and up to the very top of the mound, allowing you to stand where the Tequesta did nearly a thousand years ago.

While you walk the paths, you'll notice there are signs set up that tell you about the Tequesta and the mound.

The park is still a place for birdlovers, with feeders and birdbaths set up to encourage the birds to stay and sing a while.

Benches by the Intracoastal allow you to take in the view of the water.

A picnic table under a huge shade tree provides a great place to enjoy a healthy picnic lunch. (I chose to enjoy a bag of candy instead...) And with plenty of space to run and play, this park is definitely kid friendly.

Leave your car at Indian Mound Park, where parking is free, and take a short 5-minute walk to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The beach access is quite picturesque!

Photography by:

Jillian Krickovich & Rob Freund