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E-155 Recovery Permit Application
Recovery Permit Application
For E-155 Southern Section
South Brevard County, Florida
Prepared for the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research
Tallahassee, Florida
By
James J. Sinclair, MA
Project Archaeologist
Seafarer Exploration Corp. March 2014
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Table of Contents
LIST OF FIGURES _______________________________________________________________ 3
ABSTRACT ____________________________________________________________________ 4
E-155D CONTRACT LOCATION ____________________________________________________ 5
SUPPLEMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN _______________________________________________ 7
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ______________________________________________________ 7
MODERN ENVIRONMENT/GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GEOLOGY OF THE BREVARD SHORELIN __ 7
PALEOENVIRONMENT __________________________________________________________ 8
CULTURAL SETTING ____________________________________________________________ 8
PREHISTORIC OVERVIEW ________________________________________________________ 8
EARLY ARCHAIC PERIOD (10,000-7000 B.P.) _________________________________________ 9
MIDDLE ARCHAIC PERIOD (7000-5000 B.P.) ________________________________________ 10
LATE ARCHAIC PERIOD (5000-2500 B.P.) ___________________________________________ 11
POST-ARCHAIC PERIOD (2500-500 B.P.) ___________________________________________ 12
CONTACT PERIOD _____________________________________________________________ 14
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ________________________________________________________ 15
EARLY SPANISH EXPLORATION __________________________________________________ 15
THE BRITIS PERIOD AND THE SECOND SPANIS PERIOD _______________________________ 16
THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD ______________________________________________________ 17
STATEHOOD AND THE CIVIL WAR ________________________________________________ 17
THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY ________________________________________________ 18
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ______________________________________________________ 20
BREVARD COUNTY HISTORIC SHIPWRECKS ________________________________________ 21
ARCHIVAL RESEARCH __________________________________________________________ 26
THE 1715 SPANISH PLATE FLEET _________________________________________________ 26
SURVEY OF E-155D SOUTHERN SECTION __________________________________________ 31
PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES _________________________________________________________ 49
METHODOLOGY ______________________________________________________________ 54
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RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA _________________________________________ 56
REFERENCES CITED ____________________________________________________________ 61
INTERPRETATION OF DATA ____________________________________________________ 112
Classes of Artifacts________________________________________________________ 117
Ships Construction Elements__________________________________________________ 117
Armament _________________________________________________________________ 118
Cargo___________________________________________________________________ 121
Ceramics________________________________________________________________ 121
Personal Items ___________________________________________________________ 122
Silver Platters__________________________________________________________________ 122
Conclusion_________________________________________________________________ 124
Sand Tempered Plain Pot Sherd________________________________________________ 125
BOAT & EQUIPMENT ______________________________________________________ 127
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Brevard County, FL, location ............................................................................................ 5
Figure 2 E-155 Contract Area .......................................................................................................... 6
Figure 3. Page of manifest from the Santisima Trinidad y Nuestra Seora de la Concepcin listing
FDon Joseph Espinosa de los Monterod as having consigne 257 cowhides and a crate of prsents
(AGI Consulados, 854) ................................................................................................................... 29
Figure 4. Page (detail) of manifest from the Santisima Trinidad y Nuestra Seora de la
Concepcin (AGI Consulados 854) ................................................................................................. 30
Figure 5. Signature page (detail{ of the Santisima Trinidad y Nuestra Seora de la Concepcinsmanifest (AGI Consulados 854) ..................................................................................................... 31
Figure 6. E-155 Prioritized anomalies ............................................................................................ 33
Figure 7. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 1 ............................................................................... 34
Figure 8. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 2 ............................................................................... 35
Figure 9. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 3 ............................................................................... 36
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Figure 10. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 4 ............................................................................. 37
Figure 11. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 5 ............................................................................. 38
Figure 12. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 6 ............................................................................. 39
Figure 13. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 7 ............................................................................. 40
Figure 14. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 8 ............................................................................. 41
Figure 15. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 9 ............................................................................. 42
Figure 16. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 10 ........................................................................... 43
Figure 17. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 11 ........................................................................... 44
Figure 18. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 12 ........................................................................... 45
Figure 19. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 13 ........................................................................... 46
Figure 20. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 14 ........................................................................... 47
Figure 21. E-155 Prioritized anomalies, Area 15 ........................................................................... 48
Figure 22. he 2010-2012 survey vessel during 2010 remote sensing operations ......................... 49
Figure 23. Geometrics G882 Magnetometer, EdgeTech 4200FS Side scan sonar deployment .... 50
Figure 24. Data Acquisition computers in survey vessel ............................................................... 50
Figure 25. Survey data acquisition screen showing side scan imagery data, sensors and
magnetometer data ...................................................................................................................... 51
Figure 26. Side scan sonar imagery mosaic of sonar data collected overlaid onto nautical chart ofarea 1 ............................................................................................................................................. 53
Figure 27. 3D Magnetometer data representation of data collected with G882 magnetometer 53
Figure 28. . Magnetometer data collected during 2010 survey of E-155...................................... 56
Figure 29. Magnetometer data collected during 2010 survey of E-155D ..................................... 57
Figure 30. . Magnetometer & Side Scan Sonar target distribution data collected during survey of
E-155D ........................................................................................................................................... 58
Figure 31. Inscription on silver plate (courtesy of the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research).
....................................................................................................................................................... 59
ABSTRACTSeafarer Exploration Corp. conducted an historic assessment, terrestrial, and submerged
cultural resources investigation relative to a suspected early 18th-century shipwreck
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located off Melbourne Beach and Indialantic, Brevard County, Florida in an effort to
locate, identify, and assess the potential significance of cultural resources within the
project area E-155D. More specifically the investigation included archival research,
terrestrial cultural resources overview, and a remote sensing survey of BLOCK 1 of E-
155D, in an effort to locate associated shipwreck material, analysis and interpretation of
remote sensing data, followed by report preparation to meet the Florida Bureau ofArchaeological Researchs (FBAR) requirements.
E-155D CONTRACT LOCATION
Starting at a point hereafter referred to as the Point of Beginning and located along the
mean low water line of the Atlantic Ocean at Latitude 28 02.420 North and Longitude 80
32.600 West. Thence run North to a point at Latitude 28 05.300 North and Longitude
80 31.750 West;Thence run west to a point at Latitude 28 05.300 North and Longitude
80 33.050 WestThence run northerly at a distance of .7 of a nautical mile offshore from
the mean low water line approximately 13 nautical miles to a point located at Latitude 28
18.000, North and Longitude 80 35.660 West;Thence run West in a line to a point
located along the mean low water line at Latitude 28 18.000 North and Longitude 80
36.400 West;Thence run southerly, following the sinuosity of the mean low water line
to the Point of Beginning. E-155D is located within the County of Brevard in the State of
Florida. More specifically, it is closely associated with the Melbourne-Satellite Beach
area of Brevard County.
FIGURE 1.BREVARD COUNTY,FL,LOCATION
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FIGURE 2E-155CONTRACT AREA
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SUPPLEMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNIn 2013 both permitting and contractual issues were resolved to allow further
investigation of this site. The 2012 season was completed following ten (10) years of
exploration, with a remote sensing survey (magnetometer & side scan sonar) of the
southern area of E-155D at closer lane spacing than the previous magnetometerinvestigation of the whole Area of E-155 Contract that was completed in 2004 at the time
when the shipwreck or shipwrecks was/were discovered. The decision to resurvey was
deemed necessary due to subcontractor changes, some technical database problems with
the magnetometer survey performed from 2000 to 2004, better technology presently
available. Following FBAR review of the present report and relevant data from this past
two-years surveys, Seafarer Exploration Corp. is requesting to be granted a recovery
permit for the southern portion of E-155 Contract area where the 1715 Plate Fleet-related
artifacts were found.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
The Mid-Reach of the Brevard County Shore Protection Project is located on the east
coast of Florida south of Cape Canaveral. The Mid-Reach extends from the south end of
Patrick Air Force Base to just north of Indialantic; BLOCK 1 of E-155D Contract Area is
located south of the of the southernmost portion of the Mid-Reach. The length of the
Mid-Reach is approximately 12.5 km (7.78 miles) long. The Mid-Reach incorporates
three municipalities (Satellite Beach (including South Patrick), Indian Harbour Beach,
and Melbourne (including Eau Gallie Beach, and Indialantic) and portions of
unincorporated Brevard County.
MODERN ENVIRONMENT/GEOMORPHOLOGY AND
GEOLOGY OF THE BREVARD SHORELIN
The beaches of Brevard County have experienced variable erosion over the past several
decades. The Mid-Reach has not been re-nourished however due to the presence of near
shore rock. This rock, sometimes referred to as reef rock or live rock are exposures
of the Anastasia Formation. The Anastasia Formation is composed of, a mixture of shell
fragments and quartz grains bound together by calcium carbonate cement (Lovejoy1998:7). Live Rock is the name given to the reefs of tube building polycheate worms
(Phragmatopoma lapidosa) on top of the exposed Anastasia Formation (Barile et al.
2001). The reefs have been extensively mapped throughout the Mid-Reach and vary in
width from 300 feet in the north to sporadic patches in the south. The reefs effect on
shoreline erosion is also variable. As a whole, between 1972-2005, the Mid-Reach has
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exhibited an erosional pattern losing an average of .2 feet per year (USACE 2007).
Erosion near the plotted location of E-155D to the south has averaged 7.8 feet since 1968.
Hurricanes have also contributed and sped up the erosion rates over time. In response to
the 2004 hurricane season, emergency dune restoration was carried out by Brevard
County in 2005 in the Mid-Reach resulting in the placement of over 300,000 cubic yardsof sand and the re-sculpting of dunes throughout the north portion of E-155D project area
(USACE 2007). Behind there-sculpted dunes, sea walls and other coastal construction
has altered the natural dune system throughout the project area.
PALEOENVIRONMENT
Prior to 5000 before present (B.P.) the environment of central Florida was considerably
different from today. In general, water resources were more limited and sea level was
lower than today, although fluctuations in both the water table and sea level did occur.Xeric vegetation dominated, particularly along the upland ridge systems. By 5000 B.P.,
modern wetland habitats had become established and upland vegetation achieved its
present configuration (Watts and Hansen 1988). At this time, the Indian River paleo-
lagoon was re-flooded by sea level transgression, which rose to modern levels from a low
of about 100 m below present at about 18,000 B.P. (Bader and Parkinson 1990). Prior to
5000 B.P., the lagoon was a dry, linear depression where quartz sand, similar to that
which comprises the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, accumulated (Bader and Parkinson
1990:210).
CULTURAL SETTING
PREHISTORIC OVERVIEW
Paleoindian Period (12,000-10,000 B.P.)
Prehistoric native peoples entered Florida at least 12,000 years ago. While there is
abundant archaeological evidence for an early occupation of northern and central Florida
(Milanich 1994), there is only limited evidence for people inhabiting southeast Florida at
this early time. Discoveries of human skeletal remains near Vero Beach in 1915 andMelbourne in 1925 were presumed to be of early origin because of their inferred
association with extinct Pleistocene mammals (Gidley and Loomis 1926; Sellards 1916,
1917). Analysis of the Vero Beach finds by Hrdlika(1918, 1922) concluded that the
human remains were intrusive into Pleistocene deposits. However, more recent analyses
of the skeletal remains (Stewart 1946) and a comparison of the geological context of
those finds with similar discoveries in southwest Florida (Cockrell and Murphy 1978),
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indicate that the original interpretations may have been correct. To date, the Helen Blazes
site (8BR27) is the only archaeological site in the immediate vicinity to be associated
with this time period. Due to changes in hydrology, (e.g., rising sea levels, increased
rainfall and subsequent increase in ground and artesian water) it is probable that
Paleoindian Period settlement or activity areas were close to, or adjacent to, water
sources that may not exist or be accessible in a modern climate (e.g., inundated sites orlands that have been altered as a result of alluvial or aeolian deposition).
EARLY ARCHAIC PERIOD (10,000-7000 B.P.)
The beginning of the archaic period coincides with the onset of the Holocene at
approximately 10,000 B.P. This period can be divided into two horizons, based on
differences in stone tool types: Side-Notched, or Bolen (10,000-9000 B.P.) and Stemmed,
or Kirk (9000-8000 B.P.). Both horizons are well represented in northern and central
Florida (Milanich 1994). The earliest firm evidence for human occupation in southeastFlorida dates to about 10,000-9500 B.P. At the Cutler site in Miami, side-notched stone
projectile points, called Bolen points, were recovered in association with animal bones
and a hearth feature (Carr 1986). Based on radiocarbon dates from a cultural stratum
believed to be associated with the Bolen points, the Cutler site is believed to date to
around 9600 B.P. At this time, south Florida was just emerging from a period that was
much drier than at present (Brooks 1974; Gleason et al. 1974). Lake Okeechobee and the
Everglades did not exist, sea levels were much lower than at present, surface water was
limited, and extensive grasslands probably existed, which may have attracted mammoth,
bison, and other large grazing mammals. This bleak landscape inhibited intensive human
habitation except perhaps along the coast; however, any coastal sites are probably nowinundated by higher sea levels. By the Early Archaic period, or the time that the Cutler
site was occupied, precipitation had begun to increase in frequency and duration,
resulting in an increase in surface water. In addition, sea levels were rising which
inundated formerly dry land off shore. The large Pleistocene mammals died off and
native peoples in southeast Florida adapted their lifestyles to the hunting and gathering of
more modern species. The Kirk Horizon is not well represented on the lower east coast,
although the mortuary pond at Windover in Brevard County may contain a Kirk
component. Radiocarbon dates associated with human bone or wooden artifacts range
from 8120 70 B.P. to 6980 80 B.P. (Doran 2002), placing it at the terminal end of the
Kirk Horizon as it has been defined throughout the rest of the southeastern United States(Chapman 1985; Sherwood et al. 2004). Three possible Kirk Stemmed projectile points
were associated with the burials. The Windover site provides some of the best
information on Early Archaic burial practices and non-lithic material culture. It is a
wetland cemetery, which, when excavated, revealed the remains of 168 individuals along
with numerous perishable items such as bone pins, awls, incised tubes, shell tools and
beads, an antler weight, wooden stakes, cordage, mats, and fabric. The radiocarbon dates
indicate that the interments were made over a long period of time, and suggest that the
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pond was used repeatedly for interments for more than a millennium. The high degree of
preservation of the bodies, and the lack of any evidence for scavenging of the remains by
animals, suggests that they were placed in the cemetery within a few days or even hours
after death (Dickel 2002). The interments were apparently placed in five or six discrete
groups within the pond, and individual clusters may have been marked by stakes (Dickel
2002:80). The presence of marine shells at the site would seem to support the hypothesisthat these people moved from the coast, which at this time was much farther away from
the site than it is today, to the interior on a relatively regular basis. Analysis of
archaeobotanical remains from the site indicate occupation during the late summer-early
fall (Newsom 2002:208; Tuross et al. 1994:297-298).
MIDDLE ARCHAIC PERIOD (7000-5000 B.P.)
A dramatic increase in precipitation and runoff in south Florida is indicated by peat
deposits in the Everglades that began to form about 6000-5000 BP (McDowell et al.1969). This enabled native peoples to expand into formerly inhospitable locations. Sea
levels reached modern levels and may have exceeded them for short periods (Dorsey
1997; Tanner 1991). Modern estuaries began to form and exploitation of coastal
resources began in earnest, particularly along the northern Atlantic coast (Ste. Claire
1990). The expansion of populations into new locations resulted in a variety of settlement
and subsistence strategies, each adapted to local conditions. Sedentary settlements were
established along productive rivers, such as the St. Johns, or in coastal areas in southwest
and northeast Florida (e.g., Russo 1991; Ste. Claire 1990). In other areas, a more mobile
lifestyle was practiced (Austin 1996, 1997). Locally, sea level rise is indicated by the
deposition of coastal marsh mud in the Indian River lagoon at approximately 6000-5000B.P. (Bader and Parkinson 1990). Yet there is limited archaeological evidence for Middle
Archaic occupation of southeast Florida. Pre-ceramic Archaic sites have been
documented in the interior around Lake Okeechobee (Gleason and Stone 1994; Hale
1989:48, 55-56), and one documented Middle Archaic site has been identified at the
Westridge site on Pine Island Ridge in Broward County (Carr et al. 1992). The Gauthier
site in Brevard County contains a Middle Archaic cemetery (Carr and Jones 1981; Sigler-
Eisenberg 1984). This lack of Middle Archaic sites in southeast Florida may be due in
part to their low archaeological visibility. The lack of any lithic raw materials for tool
production in south Florida forced a greater emphasis on the use of perishable materials
such as wood, bone, and shell. The highly acidic soils of the region would have destroyedthese organic materials, leaving very little behind for archaeologists to discover. The
dependence on perishable materials for much of the material culture of Archaic peoples is
reflected by the abundance of organic artifacts recovered from Windover Pond and the
near absence of lithic artifacts (Dickel 2002).
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LATE ARCHAIC PERIOD (5000-2500 B.P.)
By 5000 B.P., the climate and environments of Florida had reached essentially modern
conditions. This allowed further regionalization of cultures throughout Florida, as
individual societies developed increasingly sophisticated adaptations to their localenvironments (Milanich 1994). During the Late Archaic period, the first pottery was
made by the native peoples of Florida. In southern Florida, two separate late Archaic
cultures can be identified archaeologically: the Orange culture and, for lack of a better
term, the Glades Archaic culture. The Orange culture is known primarily from northeast
Florida, including both the Atlantic coast and the St. Johns River drainage basin. The
Orange peoples made a distinctive pottery tempered with fiber. Other artifacts include
whelk shell (Busycon spp.) adzes and conch shell celts (Strombus spp.). It is likely that
theBusycon adzes found in northeast Florida at this time were of local origin, while the
Strombus celts were traded into the area from southeastern Florida (Wheeler 1992). Site
types are generally oyster and coquina shell middens along the coast and freshwater pondsnail middens along the inland rivers and streams. Some coastal shell rings also have
been observed (Newman and Weisman 1992). Recent work in St. Lucie County provides
evidence of a Late Archaic culture in this region. At the Ten Mile Creek project area, four
sites (8SL0007, 8SL1180, 8SL1181, 8SL1182) that have fiber tempered or fiber/mixed
pottery indicative of a Late Archaic component were identified (New South Associates
2003). In Martin County, Orange populations were present and were almost exclusively
coastal (Carr et al. 1995). Only semi-fiber-tempered shards were recovered from the Mt.
Elizabeth site (8MT30), and Orange populations may have migrated to that area from the
Indian River estuary farther north. The Joseph Reed shell ring (8MT13) on Jupiter Island
may represent something of an anomaly as it is Late Archaic in age but possesses aceramic assemblage characterized by spiculate and sand tempered pastes. Although the
Joseph Reed has been damaged by storm surges, it was once probably a constructed ring
made up mostly of oyster shell. In this respect, it seems quite similar to other Orange
period shell rings located farther north (Newman and Weisman 1992). Pepe (Carr et al.
1995) suggests that a separate Late Archaic culture, which he refers to as the Glades
Archaic, also was present in southern Florida, and probably had only limited ties to
the Orange culture (Carr et al. 1995). The presence of this culture is suggested by non-
ceramic bone middens now recognized as typical on nearly every interior tree island or
former tree island and in nearly every marsh or former marsh in southern Florida (e.g.,
Carr and Steele 1993; Ehrenhard et al. 1978, 1979, 1980). Several of these types of sitesalso have been identified in the Loxahatchee Slough and Allapatah Flats of Martin and
Palm Beach Counties (Carr et al. 1995). Faunal remains from these sites are mainly
freshwater species, such as turtle, fish, and pond apple snail, which were plentiful in the
surrounding marshes.
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POST-ARCHAIC PERIOD (2500-500 B.P.)
By 2500 B.P., regional adaptations had become so well established that it is possible for
archaeologists to subdivide the state by geographic areas that share similar archaeological
traits. The Palmer PUD project area is located near the interface of what has been termedthe Indian River region of the East and Central Lakes District (Rouse 1951; Milanich
1994) and the East Okeechobee Culture area (Carr and Beriault 1984). The Indian River
region extends from the Indian River-St. Lucie county line northward along the Atlantic
coast to Merritt Island in Brevard County. The western boundary extends about 20 miles
inland and to the St. Johns River drainage and tributaries. Rouse (1951) referred to the
regional culture as Malabar and this term is still used in some reports (e.g., Sigler-
Eisenberg 1985). Irving Rouse (1951) was the first to describe the archaeological cultures
in the Indian River area, referring to them as Malabar. His chronology paralleled that of
the St. Johns Region with St. Johns Check Stamped pottery indicating the break between
Malabar I and Malabar II. However, there also are significant amounts of sand-temperedpottery in the Indian River area and, instead of indicating influence from adjacent culture
areas, at least some of this sand-tempered pottery appears to have been made from the
same local clays as the St. Johns wares (Espenshade 1983). Cordells (1985) analysis of
pottery from several sites in Brevard County resulted in the ceramic sequence shown in
Table 2 and the sequence appears to hold for other portions of the Indian River region as
well (Milanich 1994:250). The dates assigned to these periods are estimates and have
been extrapolated from Milanichschronology for the entire East and Central Lakes
District (Milanich 1994:247). Cordell takes Rouses original Malabar I Period and
divides it into three sub periods based on changes in ceramic frequencies. Early Period I
(ca. 2500-2000 B.P.) is recognized by the introduction of non-fiber-tempered wares to theceramic assemblages of local native peoples. St. Johns Plain dominates these early
components, but sand-tempered plain also is present in small amounts. Middle Period I
(ca. 2000-1500 B.P.) is distinguished by a substantial increase of sand-tempered plain
ceramics in middens, a decrease in the proportion of St. Johns Plain, and the introduction
(albeit in very small quantities) of Belle Glade Plain at some sites. Late Period 1 (ca.
1500-1250 B.P.) is marked by the return to dominance of St. Johns Plain and the
corresponding decrease of sand-tempered plain pottery. There also is a slight increase in
the amount of Belle Glade Plain. The appearance of St. Johns Check Stamped pottery is
the marker for Period II (ca. 1250-500 B.P.). It, along with St. Johns Plain, is the major
pottery type during this period. Sand- Tempered Plain comprises about 10% of most
assemblages and Belle Glade Plain remains a minority ware.
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500-250 Period III
Introduction of European artifacts. St. Johns Check Stamped
continues.
750-5001000-750
1250-1000
Period II
St. Johns Check Stamped appears in combination with St. Johns Plain. Sand-tempered
plain remains at about 10%. Belle Glade Plain remains a minority type.1500-1250 Late
Period I St. Johns Plain returns to dominance as sand-tempered plain decreases to about
10%. Slight increase in Belle Glade Plain (3%).
1750-1500
2000-1750
Middle Period I
St. Johns Plain is still predominant but sand-tempered plain increases to about 30-40% of
assemblages. Belle Glade Plain present in very small amounts (less than 1%).
2250-2000
2500-2250
Early Period I
Decrease in fiber-tempered pottery. St. Johns Plain is the dominant ware. Minor
representation of sand-tempered plain.
2750-2500
SOURCES: (Carr et al. 1995; Cordell 1985; Milanich 1994).
Both interior and coastal sites are known in the Indian River region. Site types in the
interior include small, special use campsites and larger, multi-component sites that
possess extensive midden deposits and were probably used for permanent habitation.
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Russos (1986, 1988)analysis of faunal remains from interior sites indicates a
dependence on aquatic resources (turtle, ducks, fish, fresh water mussels). Throughout
the post-Archaic period, wetland resources expanded and water sources became deeper
providing suitable habitats for more and larger fish, such as bass and pickerel. However,
during the dry months of the year (winter and spring), these water sources shrank
providing habitat for fish species that favor shallow, muddy bottomed ponds, such asbowfin and gar. Terrestrial animals (deer, raccoon, rabbit) also were exploited, but the
emphasis was clearly on acquiring most of the diet from freshwater wetlands. Coastal
sites were once present in many locations along the Indian River lagoon, the adjacent
uplands, and on the barrier islands. Modern development has destroyed many of these
sites, but a few have been investigated and provide information on costal adaptations. At
present, it appears that the coast was utilized seasonally during the winter and spring
months of the year when interior wetlands were less abundant. The data
indicate that some sites were small, extractive sites occupied by only a few individuals
while other, larger sites served as habitations sites. Marine fish, shellfish (especially
coquina), and some terrestrial animals were exploited for food (Milanich 1994:252-253).
What is unknown at present is how the coastal and interior sites relate to one another. For
example, it is not clear whether the same people occupied both locations during different
parts of the year or whether different groups occupied each area year round.
CONTACT PERIOD
In the Indian River region, the historic period (referred to as Period III) is marked by the
presence of European goods in otherwise native assemblages. The St. Johns ceramic
series remains the dominant native pottery. The native groups encountered by Europeans
at this time on the Atlantic coast were the Ais. The Ais appear to have been an
independent tribe, but large amounts of St. Johns pottery and other artifacts from the
Indian River and St. Johns areas during this time suggests that their cultural influences
may have come from the north instead. Dickinson also observed that the Jeaga were
forced to hand over shipwrecked cargo to the Ais, their neighbors to the north (Andrews
1985). Of course, European contact marked the beginning of the end for the native
populations throughout Florida. It has been estimated that there were about 20,000
natives in southern Florida when the Spanish arrived (Milanich and Fairbanks 1980). By
1763, when the English gained control of Florida, the population had been reduced to
several hundred. These tribal remnants were reported to have migrated to Cuba with theSpanish (Romans 1775). However, it is likely that the Spanish Indians who raided
Indian Key in 1840 were the mixed-blood descendants of the Calusa, and/or refugees
from the northern Florida missions that were raided by the English in the early 18th
century (Sturtevant 1953). These Spanish-Indians became part of the Seminoles, who had
fled into southern Florida after the 1838 Battle of Okeechobee.
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HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
EARLY SPANISH EXPLORATION
For nearly half a century, ships of various origins have passed through the coastal waters
of what is now Brevard County. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the region
served as an important stage for many early European expeditions in North America.
Some historians believe that the Italian captain, John Cabot, sailed south along the
Brevard coast during his 1498 explorations (Dovell 1952; Eriksen 1994). There is also
evidence that Spanish slave traders raided the indigenous villages of the coast, for when
Juan Ponce de Leon came to Florida he found a native who understood Spanish. Ponce de
Leon left Puerto Rico on March 3, 1513, with three ships. After sailing on a
northwesterly course for 30 days, the ships landed either north of Cape Canaveral
(Milanich 1995) or in the vicinity of modern day Melbourne Beach (Eriksen 1994;Gannon 1996). The Cape is found on many sixteenth century maps and is one of the
oldest place names in North America (Eriksen 1994). Ponce remained at this initial
landing place for six days before pulling anchor and sailing southward to explore the
remainder of the peninsula (Gannon 1996; Milanich 1995). The Gulf Stream, located off
the Brevard coast, was an important thoroughfare for the transportation of New World
supplies to Europe. Old World powers engaged in a bitter struggle to control it. Spanish
treasure galleons rode the current from Havana through the Bahama Channel, passing the
coast of Florida en route to Spain. Wrecks were common in the treacherous shoals around
Cape Canaveral and the local Indian tribe, the Ais, often recovered lost cargoes. The
Spanish crown realized the importance of this trade route, so when they heard that the
French were developing a colony, Fort Caroline, on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville
they decided to act. In 1565, Pedro Menndez de Aviles, a highly respected officer in the
Spanish navy, was issued the task of eradicating the French influence in the area
(Milanich 1995). Cape Canaveral became an early target in this larger effort. By the time
the Spanish ships arrived, the French had already built a wooden fort on a small island
anchored at the entrance of the St. Johns River (present-day Jacksonville), and a fleet of
ships had arrived from France a few days before, carrying, weapons, supplies, tools and
hundreds of soldiers and would-be colonists. Challenged, the French cut their anchor
cables and gave chase to the Spanish who found refuge within a natural inlet (St.
Augustine). As the tide was low, the French ships were unable to cross the large sandbar
and decided to wait for more favorable conditions to enter the inlet and engage the
Spaniards, but a hurricane blew over the region, pushing the French ships toward the
shoals of Cape Canaveral to the south where they were all lost. While most onboard those
ships survived, they were tricked by Pedro Menndez de Avils into surrendering and
were quickly put to the swords. Menndez and his men then marched north toward the
French fort. Under pressure from both a naval and a ground forces, the Frenchmen, who
numbered about 170, eventually surrendered to Menndez, but not before 132 of them
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were killed as they came out of their lodgings as the Spaniards swarmed into the forts
encampment (Lyon 1974:113-124). The expedition to Cape Canaveral was a victory for
the Spanish and expanded their knowledge of the region that later became Brevard
County (Eriksen 1994; Milanich 1995). Over the course of the seventeenth century, the
Spanish became more familiar with the eastern coast of Florida including present-day
Brevard County. In 1605, the Spanish sent a delegation under the command of AlvaroMexia to the Brevard area. The diplomat was charged with placating the aggressive Ais
and mapping the region. His mission was considered a success. Mexia was named an
honorary chief of the tribe and the Indian and Banana Rivers (which the Spanish called
Rio de Ais and Ulumay Lagoon) were explored and recorded. His maps detail many
Indian settlements along the shores of Mosquito Lagoon (at the north end of the Banana
River). Some have speculated that Mexia and his entourage also spread orange seeds
along the banks of the Indian River (Eriksen 1994). While these developments were
significant, they did not encourage the Spanish to sponsor further settlement of Florida.
The waters along the eastern coast of Florida continued to present dangers to sailing
vessels in the eighteenth century. On July 24, 1715, a flotilla of eleven Spanish shipscarrying 14 million pesos in gold, silver, and jewels left Havana for Europe. A few days
into the voyage, on 31 July 1715, eleven ships wrecked along the East Florida coast
between St. Lucie County and St. Johns County. Approximately 700 sailors perished and
an additional 1500 became castaways. The Ais aided the Spaniards by providing them
with supplies and instructions for gathering food in the dunes. The Spanish government,
desperate to recover the lost treasure, established an encampment of salvers in the
vicinity of present-day Sebastian State Park. Salvers recovered only one-third of the lost
cargo. In the mid-twentieth century, treasure hunters made a concerted effort to finish the
job (Burgess and Clausen 1982; Eriksen 1994).
THE BRITISH PERIOD AND THE SECOND SPANISH PERIOD
Through much of the eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, white men possessed a
poor understanding of Brevard County which was then known as the Mosquito Coast.
When the British came under control of Florida after the Seven Years War ended in 1763,
new explorations occurred (Figure 5). The botanist John Bartram and his son William
documented the region in the course of their search for the headwaters of the St.
Johns River (Eriksen 1994; Tebeau 1971). Their reports, which depicted a sprawlingwilderness full of alligators and Indians, inspired no new attempts at settling the area. In
1783, the Treaty of Paris restored Florida to Spain, whose control of the territory was
quite tenuous over the following decades (Tebeau 1971). Immigrants from the
Indian tribes north of Florida had replaced those who succumbed to European diseases
and warfare. They now numbered from five to six thousand in the colony. Zespedes, the
Spanish Governor, wrote to the king in 1785 that isolated groups of Americans were
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trickling into Florida (Eriksen 1994; Tebeau 1971). The Crown may have viewed
themselves as the ruler of Florida, but in truth their position in the peninsula was
dependent upon an alliance with local Indian tribes which held a much greater influence
on affairs (Frank 2005).
THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD
Even after the American acquisition of Florida in 1821, the Mosquito Coast was the
realm of Indians. Seeking to establish a boundary between white settlement and Indian
territory, the Americans designated four million acres of the interior of Florida as a
reservation for the Seminoles. This area included the southwestern corner of modern day
Brevard County (Mahon 1985). Two counties, Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the
east, were also formed. In 1824, the area encompassing most of east-central Florida
including Brevard County was organized as Mosquito County. Colonel James Gadsen led
a survey party through the eastern portion of the county in 1825 to find a route for a roadfrom St. Augustine to what is now Dade County. Several dozen plantations, some of
which were holdovers from the previous Spanish period, operated along the Indian River.
The majority of new settlement in Florida remained focused on the northern part of the
state with the exception of Key West (Eriksen 1994; Fernald and Purdum 1992).
Increasing tensions between American settlers and the Seminoles erupted into the Second
Seminole War. Mosquito County became a prominent theater in this conflict. On
Christmas day 1835, Indian forces razed plantations in the area. Along with a severe
freeze in 1835, the war decimated Mosquito Countys population as they fled to safe
havens outside the county (Shofner 1995:36). The military erected forts throughout the
Brevard area. Six hundred mounted militiamen, under General Joseph Hernandezs
command, constructed Fort Ann a mile south of modern day Haulover Canal. Camp
Hernandez was erected south of present day Scottsmoor in northern Brevard. General
Hernandez collected his troops at the camps on January 3, 1838 and proceeded to
advance south along the eastern coast. Their path followed the high ground along the
western side of the Indian River Lagoon before swinging west to meet Fort Taylor on
Lake Winder then southeast paralleling what is now I-95. Of all the military trails created
in Brevard, this is the only one historians are able to pinpoint accurately (Eriksen
1994:38-39). Naval forces were used during the Second Seminole War, but there appears
to have been no sizable expeditions along the coast of todays BrevardCounty. The war
ended in 1842, and on March 14, 1844, Saint Lucie County (whose name soon changedto Brevard County) was carved out of Mosquito County (Carter 1962:994-995;
Dunn 1998:34).
STATEHOOD AND THE CIVIL WAR
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On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state admitted to the Union (Eriksen 1994).
As in centuries before, the coastal waters of eastern Florida remained treacherous. The
state therefore erected a lighthouse on Cape Canaveral in 1848 (Wooley 2002:9-10).
During this period, development of St. Lucie County was hindered because of the lack of
adequate roads in the region. The Indian River, which was more of an elongated lagoon,
served as the primary means of transportation (Shofner 1995:63-64). Hoping that a newname might invite wider interest in the region, Saint Lucie County was renamed Brevard
in 1855. Its namesake was Judge Theodore Washington Brevard who had been state
comptroller for Florida. The new county encompassed more than 7000 square miles and
had its seat of government at Fort Pierce, although most simply referred to it as Indian
River (Eriksen 1994; Shofner 1995:62). John Houston established the first permanent US
settlement in south Brevard County, Arlington, in 1854. This town was located on land
fronting the Indian River and Elbow Creek (Eriksen 1994). Between 1850 and 1860, the
population of Brevard County doubled although there were still only 267 people in
residence. Most were cattlemen and subsistence farmers (Shofner 1995:65). The Civil
War began another chapter of intrigue along the Coast of Brevard County as blockaderunners attempted to transport goods in and out of Confederate Florida. They received no
help from the Cape Canaveral lighthouse which, along with other lights, was ordered to
be extinguished early in the war. The keeper at Canaveral, Mills Burnham, was a Union
sympathizer. Fearing that the lamp and other mechanisms might be apprehended by
Confederates, he boxed them up and buried them in his orange grove. Union vessels
patrolled the waters along Brevard County throughout the duration of the war. From New
Smyrna (Volusia County) southward, approximately 32 blockade-running vessels were
captured between 1862 and 1865 (Shofner 1995:70). Aside from the occasional blockade
runners, Brevard County was far removed from the action of the war but still played a
visible role in the war as a supplier of beef. The Confederate government estimated thatthree fourths of the cattle from Floridawhich had become the main supply of beef for
the Confederacywas from Brevard and Manatee Counties. Settlers in Brevard also
engaged in salt production for the Confederate Army (Shofner 1995:72).
THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Brevard County remained one of Floridas least populated counties in the decades
following the Civil War. The region was far removed from the growing centers of
population in the state and overland transportation routes were still poorly developed. In
the years before the arrival of the railroad, water transportation was the dominant mode
of travel in Brevard County (Brown 1991:13-14) (Figure 6). Until the railroad arrived in
the 1880s, the Indian River was the primary corridor of transportation into the region.
Those were the days when a mans approach and arrival were heralded by the cut and
rig of his sail, wrote onehistorian (Nance 1962:258-259). Nevertheless, there were
individuals who saw opportunity in this frontier. Titusville, once a small cluster of
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settlers, became more prominent in the 1870s when citizens elected it as the permanent
seat of government. By the 1880s, steamships were traveling the Indian River with
regularity (Nance 1962:258-259). They hauled lumber in and agricultural products out of
the region in the years before the railroad (Eriksen 1994:95-96). The population of the
Indian River area was expanding due to a solid economic base of agriculture and fishing
(Eriksen 1994). In addition to these stable sources of income, the occasional shipwreckoffered a bonus of sorts. Following the wreck of the steamerLadona in 1870, the coastal
residents of Brevard gathered the lost cargo which consisted of French shoes (Wooley
2002:9-10). Many of the early settlers acquired lumber by collecting driftwood and other
goods from shipwrecks (Nance 1962:257-258). Other wrecks offered cloth and consumer
goods (Wooley 2002:9-10).
Brevard County Population.
Date Population Date Population
1860 246 1930 13,283
1870 1,216 1940 16,142
1880 1,478 1950 23,653
1890 3,401 1960 111,435
1900 5,158 1970 230,006
1910 4,717 1980 272,959
1920 8,505 1990 398,978
Despite the popularity of oceanfront living in the current day, settlers to Brevard Countyin the late 19th century were most interested in settling the inland areas. Settlement in this
era was situated around the Indian River. In 1880, Melbourne, founded by Richard W.
Goode, obtained a post office. Titusville was chosen as a stop on the Jacksonville, Tampa
and Key West Railway in 1885. Columbus Willard established Cocoa in 1882 and by
1887 the town had six stores and was quickly expanding around its deep-water landing.
In 1890, a group of wealthy Harvard graduates founded the 18,000 acre Canaveral Club,
which is now the Merritt Island National Wildlife Preserve. In 1893, the Flagler East
Coast Railway line came to Titusville and Eau Gallie. In 1895, a double blast of freezing
temperatures devastated the areas citrus industry. The orange and pineapple groves
recovered by 1897. The economy of the area boomed with the rejuvenated citrus industryand the new railway. In 1899, with the aid of a new state road building fund, Brevard
County began a road building campaign. During this project many Indian shell middens
and mounds were borrowed for shell that was then crushed and hard packed over
palmetto fiber. As the turn of the century approached, Brevard County had a population
of 5,158 people, a new road system, and 35 public schools (Eriksen 1994). Extensive as
the Brevard County coastline was, an ocean port failed to develop until the 20thcentury.
The main reason was geography, as there were no navigable channels that connected the
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sea with the north-south Indian River. In the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,
attempts were made to connect the two (Eriksen 1994:132, 155). By the late 1910s the
Sebastian Inlet was somewhat navigable although it had to be dredged often. County
residents petitioned for a harbor at Cape Canaveral but their plea went unfulfilled
(Eriksen 1994:156-160).
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Brevard County was in the midst of a massive program of internal improvements during
the first twenty years of the new century. Municipal governments constructed water
towers, sewage lines, and new roads. The county purchased a large trenching machine in
1911 and began to drain the floodplain east of the St. Johns to open land for new
development. The Dixie Highway route of 1915 brought an infusion of tourists to the
area. In 1917, Brevard achieved its modern day dimension when the southern portions of
the county became St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties and the western portion OsceolaCounty (Fernald and Purdum 1992). The center of population in the county shifted from
Titusville in the north to Eau Gallie, Cocoa, and Melbourne in the south. In 1920, 1445
people lived in Cocoa, 1361 people resided in Titusville, and 533 people called
Melbourne home (Table 2). A bridge constructed from Cocoa to
Merritt Island opened a link to the many small communities on the coast. Another toll
bridge from Melbourne to Merritt Island followed four years later and by the mid-
twenties four bridges spanned the river. New developments sprouted up along the
beaches as result of these bridges (Eriksen 1994). Canova Beach was one such
development. Around 1923, Carlos Canova of Eau Gallie had aspirations to establish a
marine biology laboratory on his oceanside property. After the completion of the bridge
from Eau Gallie to the beach, he abandoned those plans and opened Canova Beach which
consisted of a hotel, fishing pier, and casino (Shofner 1996:40, 47) (Figure 7). Canova
intended his resort to be quiet, non-alcoholic, and rustic (Kjerulff 1972:97). After the
Eighteenth Amendment prohibited alcohol sales, the inlets along the Indian River once
again became smuggling hotbeds. The Chicago gangster Al Capone coordinated rum
running from the Bahamas to the States at a small hideaway in Eau Gallie (Eriksen 1994).
Also well-known was Captain William H. McCoy, a former steamboat captain from Eau
Gallie. The expression the real McCoy originated during this period as a reference to
the quality of his products (Eriksen 1994:164, 169-170). After the Stock Market crash of
1929, the numbers of tourists visiting Brevard dramatically waned. This decline crippledthe economy and bankrupted the government. The area received aid from the Civil Works
Administration (CWA) which employed 800 people from December 1933 to March 1934
to repair roads, build schools, and excavate Indian mounds. In 1935, the Works Progress
Administration replaced the CWA. This agency constructed the Canaveral port and the
Melbourne airport and dredged the Intracoastal Waterway from Cumberland Sound in
Georgia to Miami in 1936. As World War II approached in 1939, the military chose land
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south of Cocoa Beach to build the Banana River Naval Air Station (Eriksen 1994).
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, German submarines became
active off the coast of Florida. They sunk several tankers and cargo ships early in the war.
Brevards coastline was soon littered with the wreckage of the commercial ships, and
crewmen from sunken ships were plucked from ocean waters or found exhausted on the
beaches, wrote one historian (Eriksen 1994). On one exceptionally active day, threemerchant ships were torpedoed off of Cape Canaveral (Stone 1988:52). After the
completion of the Banana River and Melbourne airbases in 1942, shipping lanes were
patrolled by Navy airplanes. Later in that year, beach patrols were established to monitor
the horizon and blackouts were initiated at inland communities as a preventative measure
against attacks. By the end of the war, German subs had torpedoed 25 ships between
Miami and Daytona Beach (Eriksen 1994:194-196). In 1949, the U.S. Air Force
developed a long range missile testing ground at the former Banana River Air Station.
The base was renamed Patrick Air Force Base in 1950 and was the sight of experimental
launches of hybrid rockets. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration began
operations on the Cape in 1958 and in 1963 the agency received 88,000 acres on MerrittIsland on which to build the Kennedy Space Center. A complex of more than 50
buildings was constructed on the island including the largest building in the world, a 52-
story rocket assembly hangar. The space industry had a drastic effect on the area. Brevard
County grew by 371 percent from 1950 to 1960 and the population doubled again during
the 1960s (Tebeau 1971).
BREVARD COUNTY HISTORIC SHIPWRECKS
There has been documented maritime activity in Brevard County since the early 16th century.Since that time, there have been thousands of shipwrecks along the Florida coast and Brevard.
Brevard Countysmaritime history is evident in the waters along Melbourne Beach and
Indialantic. Bob Gross, historian at the Florida Historical Society and a longtime resident of
Brevard County, shared information about shipwrecks in this area. Gross knowledge comes from
personal experiences as well as extensive research on the subject in local newspapers. Gross
knew of two possible wrecks in the vicinity of the current project area. The first was a Spanish
wreck that dated to the early to mid-eighteenth century and the second was the 1928 wreck of a
ship called the Oraca (Gross, personal communication, 2006; 2010). Gross reported that artifacts
of Spanish origin had been found on the shore and in the water along Melbourne Beach, in the
vicinity of Spessard Holland Park, Melbourne Beach, and Canova Beach, Indialantic, in the
1960s. During that decade, Gross (who was then a boy) knew a gentleman who had a box ofSpanish artifacts that he had collected at Canova Beach. The collector is now deceased. Gross
claimed to have found a few artifacts along the beach and in the water during the same period, but
reported that they have since been misplaced. Gross description of the location of these various
recoveries of Spanish artifacts coincided with the general location of the current project area
(Spessard Holland Park, Melbourne Beach and Canova Beach). He speculated that the wreck
dated to no later than the first half of the eighteenth century based on what he described as a
Pillar Dollar found near the old pier at Canova Beach. Gross also remembers seeing a salvage
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boat working off Spessard Holland Park back in the early 1960s (Gross, personal communication,
22 December 2010). Newspaper reports from December 1928 described the wreck of the cruiser
Oraca along Canova Beach. The wreck occurred on the evening of December 5 after an engine
backfired and set the ship aflame. The crew of five attempted to fight the blaze with fire
extinguishers but they were unsuccessful. They ignited flares and abandoned ship. In the
meantime, keepers of the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and observers along Canova Beach had
noticed the flares from the sinking ship. The lighthouse keeper telephoned a local fisherman who
hurried to the scene as residents of Canova Beach notified the chief of police. The fisherman
rescued one survivor from the water. Another survivor appeared on the beach near Melbourne
sometime thereafter. In the meantime, the chief of police at Melbourne had requested aid from the
Coast Guard base in Fort Lauderdale. Five patrol boats were ordered to Canova Beach. Despite
the efforts of the fisherman and the Coast Guard, the three remaining sailors were not found alive.
The body of one of them later washed ashore near Melbourne. The other two were never
recovered (New York Times 6 December 1928; CocoaTribune 13 December 1928). Newspaper
accounts do not describe what the vessel was transporting. Nor do they describe the ships port or
origin or its destination. Records of the Fort Lauderdale Coast Guard base are not available. Local
histories do not provide specific information on wrecks in the Canova Beach area or the
Melbourne Beach area. Existing accounts indicate that the wreck of the Oraca occurred along
Canova Beach. TheFlorida Star described that the wreck was a short distance off shore between
Eau Gallie and Melbourne. TheNew York Times was more specific, noting that the ship was
located five miles off Canova Beach. Also, the latter account mentions that residents at Canova
Beach were able to see the flare signals sent up by the crew of the Oraca (New York Times 6
December 1928; Cocoa Tribune 13 December 1928). Finally, an entry in the 1929 volume of
Merchant Vessels of the United States (MVUS) lists the Orca as lost by fire on December 6, 1928
(United Stated Department of Commerce [USDC] 1929). It should be noted that newspaper
accounts referred to the ship as the Oraca while the MVUS source refer to the ship as the Orca.
Regardless of spelling, the records refer to the same ship. While further information on the actual
wreck of the cruiser Oraca and its crew has not been found, other details relating to the vessel are
available in theMerchant Vessels of the UnitedStates volumes from the period. This informationtells that the Orca was built in Neponset, Massachusetts, in 1917 as a 260-horsepower gas yacht.
The Orca was based out of New York City during the first half of the 1920s. After 1926, the
Orca is described as a fishing vessel. In the years immediately preceding its demise along Canova
Beach, the vessel had undergone improvements that raised its horsepower to over 450. This
alteration coincides with its transfer of ownership from Robert W. Thompson of Edgewater, New
Jersey to John Little of Jacksonville, Florida. When the Orca was lost in 1928, the owner was
A.C. Hardy. Information on the various owners of the Orca over time is minimal. Of Robert W.
Thompson (the owner as of 1926) and John Little (the owner as of 1927), nothing has been
discovered in census records and national newspapers of the era as well as Jacksonville local
histories and business directories. However, information has been found on A.C. Hardy who
appears to have been fairly prominent in the realm of marine engineering. He was an editor ofvolumes on the subject and a member of the Institute of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
(New York Times 20 November 1927). During the 1920s and later, his opinion was sought on a
number of issues dealing with marine architecture (New York Times 17 January 1928;New York
Times 30 January 1928). Although the likelihood seems high that this A.C. Hardy was the same
individual of Jacksonville, Florida who is listed as the ownerof the Orca in the USDC source
from 1929, no document discovered during the course of this research has indicated with
certainty that they are the same individual. Harry Goode, Mayor of Melbourne, a lifelong resident
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of that city, also remembers hearing of Spanish artifacts being found around Spessard Holland
Park as well as north and south of that location; he also knows that old iron cannon were
recovered along that coast and melted down during WWII (Harry Goode, personal
communication 2003).
Brevard County Shipwreck Inventory (Offshore; Cape Canaveral to Melbourne)
Date Name/Type Information
1551 San Nicolas (Nao) 200 tons, wrecked near Ais (The
coast of the Ais tribe stretches from
Cape Canaveral to St. Lucie Inlet)
1554 San Estevan (Nao) Sank near Ais
1556 The Armada of Nueva Espaa Ais
1563 La Madelena (Galleon) Wrecked on a shoal near Cape
Canaveral
Before 1564 Three ships of Juan Menndez Coast of Ais
1565 Three ships of Jean Ribaults fleet Cape Canaveral or north of
Before 1570 Vizcayo (Ship) Wrecked near Ais
Before 1570 El Mulato (Urca) At Ais
1571 or 1572 Two ships Off Cape Canaveral
1572 Two small tenders of Pedro 1 wrecked near Cape Canaveral
Menendez de Aviles 1 wrecked in the province of Ais
1582 Spanish merchant (Nao) Lost off Cape Canaveral
1589 Spanish ship Wrecked at Cape Canaveral
1592 Frigate Sank on the coast near Cape
Canaveral
1618 Almiranta of Honduras 10 leagues (30 miles) south of Cape
Canaveral
1715 Spanish Plate Fleet c. 11 ships
1773 Liberty (Schooner) Rio d Ais
1778 Otter (British naval sloop) Lost off Cape Canaveral
1835 Noble (Brig) Went ashore near Cape Canaveral
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1870 Col. J.T. Sprague (Schooner) Wrecked near Cape Canaveral
1871 Pomona (Brig) Stranded 12 miles south of Cape
Canaveral (South Cocoa Beach)
1871 S.W. Walsh (Brig) Stranded 12 miles south of Cape
Canaveral (South Cocoa Beach)
1871 H. Burg (Brig) Stranded 12 miles south of Cape
Canaveral (South Cocoa Beach)
1880 City of Vera Cruz (Wooden hulled Located at 28 43.115, 080 22.752
brigantine steamship)
1890 Ethel (Schooner) Foundered off Cape Canaveral
1891 Orrie V. Drisco (Schooner) Lost off Cape Canaveral
1913 Huntress (Gas vessel, yacht) Burned at Cape Canaveral
1918 Lizzie E. Dennison (Schooner) Stranded at Hetzel Shoal
1925 Mohican (Steamer) Burned off Cape Canaveral;
Located at 28 23.900, 080 32.200
1928 Orca Burned off Canova Beach
1930 Dunham Wheeler Foundered off Melbourne in 60
(5-mast schooner) feet of water; Located at 28 11.166,080 19.666
1942 Key West (Oil vessel) Burned at Cocoa Beach
(WWII)
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1942 Elizabeth Massey (British freighter) Located at 28 09.166,
(WWII) 080 00.666
1942 Cities Service Empire (Steam tanker) Located at 28 23.792,
(WWII) 080 02.799
1942 Korsholm (Freighter) Located at 28 12.350,
080 28.650
1942 Laertes (Dutch freighter) Located at 28 28.670,
known as the Dutch Wreck (WWII) 080 21.605
1942 Ocean Venus (British freighter) Located at 28 23.391,
known as the Lead Wreck (WWII) 080 17.324
1942 Leslie (Freighter) Located at 28 36.211,
080 16.363
1952 Jackie Faye (Oil vessel, steel hull) Foundered two miles
offshore, five miles north
of Melbourne
1952 Helen C (Oil vessel) Burned off Cocoa
1959 Capt. Tap (Oil vessel) Foundered off Cape
Canaveral
1977 Miss Eileen (Oil vessel) Foundered off Cape
Canaveral
Sources: (Barnette 2003; Berman 1972; Marx 1985; Singer 1998).
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ARCHIVAL RESEARCH
THE 1715 SPANISH PLATE FLEET
Eleven of the twelve known ships that comprised the 1715 Plate Fleet were driven ashore
and sunk by the July 30-31, 1715 hurricane and scattered along the East coast of Florida.
One particular deposition by a survivor, recorded by a royal court notary, stated that he
floated on a hatch cover for three days in sight of land; this deposition is in the
Contratacin section of the Archivo General de Indias (AGI), Seville, Spain:
... Captain Sebastian Mendez, pilot of the ship...he departed from Havana on the 24th
day of July in company of the Galleons and the Flota, and he was lost on Wednesday the
31st, at two o'clock in the morning, because of a hurricane that came on from the east-
northeast so strongly that although he has sailed the seas for many years and suffered
through many tempests he has never seen another like it for violence, and his ship and all
the rest were lost, some before and some after Palmar de Ays (Cape Canaveral),at 28
degrees 10 minutes (NorthLatitude)...in an area nine leagues (36 nautical miles or 41.42
statute miles)*from north to south...
*During the late 17th-century and first quarter of the 18th-century, one Spanish nautical
league was equal to 4 nautical miles; 17.5 Spanish leagues were equal to 1 degree of
latitude.
Other historical data shows there were visual reports of shipwrecks and scattered
wreckage in the wake of this hurricane northwest toward the lower mouth of the Banana
River which is at 28 degrees 08 minutes. The southern area of E-155D is just south of thelower mouth of the Banana River. Artifacts have been found both north and south of this
location by beachcombers for many years, and many cannons and anchors from this area
were recovered during the 1930s and 940s, sold for scrap metal or sold to individuals,
restaurants, motels, and public parks, across Florida, as revealed by Harry Goode, Mayor
of Melbourne (personal communication, 2003). Over the past fifty years, five to six
wrecks have been located and tentatively identified as having being part of the 1715 Plate
Fleet or as contemporaneous salvage vessels. Artifacts from these ships have been
recovered in projects conducted before the development of current underwater state-of-
the-art scientific archaeological technologies and techniques (de Bry 1995).
It has long been recognized by scholars, archaeologists and the historians that if one of
the as-yet to be located ships from the 1715 Fleet or other yet unidentified vessels were
found relatively in a good state of in situpreservation with a high degree of integrity, it
would present an unique opportunity for educational institutions, State and local
communities, for undertaking archaeological investigations using state-of-theart
equipment and technologies; conservation of the cultural material and surviving elements
of ship architectural remains would be done using the latest conservation techniques,
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such as the one outlined by Texas A & M Universitys conservation team. Studying the
finds for scholarly purposes, placing the artifacts in their historical context for
public/student education, appreciation of the rich history of Florida and European
colonies of the Americas, assembling artifacts in a non-profit museum collection
environment, not only for display but also for research all in a facility within the State of
Florida, are the stated goals of Seafarer Exploration Corp. Such a collection would not bedispersed and would remain whole for present and future generations of researchers to
study. Seafarer Exploration Corp. subscribes to the principle that any significant cultural
material recovered as mutually agreed upon with the State of Floridas Bureau of
Archaeological Research should be for the benefit of the public at large. This project is
being carried out in compliance with these principles and with private funding.
The area in which recent finds are located is within 4.8 km (3 miles) of Florida's shores
more or less, and are thus within the area in which the State of Florida has ownership
and/or control of abandoned shipwrecks, debris, or abandoned cargo, under the FederalAbandoned Shipwreck Act. The recent finds south of Cape Canaveral indicate that
remains of one or more of the missing 1715 Plate Fleet vessels may in fact be present in
this area. The excellent state of preservation of the artifacts found on this particular site,
such as the pistol with working parts and intact wooden grip, containing two lead shot
wired together (split shot), dated 1709 and bearing the stamped name of a gunsmith
known to have worked in Mexico then, two silver ornate communion or platters/chargers
inscribed with name of a Spanish noble woman, a silver dagger or knife handle, a silver
miniature cannon, an iron cannon, many other period artifacts including ceramic, iron and
copper-based fasteners, and wooden element of ship structures and fittings, all suggest
one or more historic shipwrecks. This particular shipwreck or shipwrecks is/are located ina deep layer of heavy anaerobic clay, covered with sandy, marl seabed and layers of sea
shells; low visibility and the presence of sharks in murky waters contribute to the difficult
task of exploring and investigating. However, these conditions suggest to Seafarer
Exploration Corp.'s archaeologists and biologist / conservator the possibility of excellent
in situpreservation of the material culture contained within the site.
This has created an unprecedented opportunity for the use of state-of-the-art
archaeological techniques to study this site and implement a systematic program of
archaeological and environmental investigation of the site and surrounding areas. A
comprehensive research design, survey, testing, conservation and study of the artifacts,
and as Seafarer Exploration Corp. has insisted upon, the retention of the majority of theunique artifacts not represented in the State of Floridas collection from other shipwreck
sites, will allow for continuing research, preservation, and public benefits through public
outreach programs by Seafarer Exploration Corp. or other recognized institutions (such as
non-profit museum display).
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Ongoing Research on Doa Juana Isabel Chaves Espinosa de los Monteros
The Espinosa de los Monteros family originates from the small locality of the same name
in Cantabria. The village (N 43 04 37.74 W 03 33 08.78) is located southeast of
Santander. The origin of the name of this village is linked to the Hunt Masters of the
royal Court of Castile who traditionally originated from there. To reward the people fromthis locality (first simply named Espinosa) for their loyal service to the Court, de los
Monteros was addedto the place name. Los Monteros designates persons who
administer royal hunting grounds. The Espinosa de los Monteros family expanded
throughout the entire Iberian Peninsula, and many members of this illustrious family
were decorated with the Order of Alcantara, the Order of Calatrava, and the Order of
Carlos III.
Archival evidence reveals that a Captain Don Francisco de Chaves (sometimes spelled
Chabez) Espinosa de los Monteros but the relationship, if any, has not been established,
although it must be kept in mind that in Spain, the name of the husband is always first,
followed by the family name of the wife, in this case Espinosa de los Monteros. Capt.Don Francisco de Chaves Espinosa de los Monteros is a possible relative; he was listed as
residing in Sant Domingo in 1711 and was involved in a legal procedure pertaining to the
ship he owned, theNuestra Seora del Rosario San Francisco y las Animas(AGI,
Contratacin 668); he was present in Veracruz in 1715. A Don Joseph Espinosa de los
Monteros consigned merchandises, including a box of presents in Veracruz aboard the
Santissima Trinidad y Nuestra Seora de la Concepcin on February 1st, 1715; the
master of the ship was Don Juan Antonio de Laviosa (AGI, Consulados 854).
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FIGURE 3.PAGE OF MANIFEST FROM THE SANTISIMA TRINIDAD Y NUESTRA SEORA DE LA CONCEPCINLISTINGDON JOSEPH ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS AS HAVING CONSIGNED 257COWHIDES AND A CRATE OF PRESENTS
(AGICONSULADOS,854)
.
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FIGURE 4.PAGE (DETAIL)OF MANIFEST FROM THE SANTISIMA TRINIDAD Y NUESTRA SEORA DE LACONCEPCION (AGICONSULADOS 854)
The Espinosa de los Monteros seem to have been well established in New Spain
(Mexico), and still present around 1800. A captain Espinosa de los Monteros was with
the 2ndCompany of Nueva Vizcaya (New Biscay), which capital is Victoria de Durango.
Numerous silver mines are located in this region. Foremost was the Royal Silver Mine of
Chalchihuites, followed by the Minas de Coreto, Minas de Mapimi, Minas de Chindea,
Minas de Santa Barbara, Minas de Guanacevi , Minas de Topia, Minas de San Andrs,
Minas de Dihastla, Minas de Maloya, and Minas de Pnico. It was a fashionable and easy
thing for affluent families in this region to commission personalized silverware, silver
chargers, silver platters, and silver dishes, engraved with their names before returning to
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Spain. The family is also present in Mizquiahuala y Tetepango where we find one
important mayor in 1758 by the name of Bartolom Espinosa de los Monteros.
FIGURE 5.SIGNATURE PAGE (DETAI){OF THE SANTISIMA TRINIDAD Y NUESTRA SEORA DE LA CONCEPCIONSMANIFEST (AGICONSULADOS 854)
SURVEY OF E-155D SOUTHERN SECTIONThe area surveyed was Block 1 which begins at the southernmost point of E-155 and runs
north for 3 miles and extends out to sea for approximately 2 miles. Survey line spacing
was set to 20 Meters wide and ran parallel to the shore-line for the length of Block1. The
equipment used in this survey consisted of a Geometrics 882 Cesium Vapor
Magnetometer, an Imagenex Sport Scan Side Scan Sonar and a Syqwest Strata Box Sub-
Bottom Profiler.
The remote sensing survey in Block 1 produced over 1000 magnetic and acoustic
anomalies. To better understand the potential of any significant cultural re-sources or
shipwreck debris in this area this priority list was compiled to try and facilitate theidentification of these anomalies. Although not every anomaly can be visually identified
the identification of the selected anomalies should give a better understanding of the
potential for shipwreck debris.
The anomalies chosen for identification were picked because of their magnetic signatures
which are conducive of shipwreck debris. Not every anomaly that may represent
shipwreck assemblage could be chosen but a broad enough range of anomalies were
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picked to conclude whether or not further study should be conducted, or if the patterns
reflected in the survey warranted a full-scale recovery. Many of the larger anomalies
chosen give a classic signature of 18th-century cannon scatter while the small anomalies
appear to be assemblage such as ballast stones, spikes, cannonballs and iron pins.
Although many of these anomalies appear to be shipwreck related the identification can
only be established and confirmed until visual inspection is conducted. The majority ofacoustic anomalies were not chosen for visual identification because most represent the
signature of modern debris.
Coverage of the survey area,i.e. E-155D, BLOCK 1,was monitored using the Geometric
MagLog NTsoftware application. This software receives geographic positional
information from a high accuracy state-of-the-art Furuno DGPS receiver cycling 1 time
per second and then correlates each magnetic point recorded by the magnetometer to
produce a 3D plot for all recorded points. The software renders this data visually on a
display with a continuous track line and user-created reference marks. The display was
continuously monitored by the pilot of the survey vessel to ensure steady and accurate
navigation. All positional information, including delineation of target zones and
individual targets were corroborated using redundant GPS receivers, Maptech
Navigation software, and paper charts. This allows for precise positioning and recording
with sub-meter accuracy. For the side scan Sonar Wiz Map 5 from Chesapeake
Technology was used. Microsoft Excel and AutoCAD MAP 3D are used for data
manipulation and create final drawings.
Acute changes in the magnetic field indicate the presence of ferrous material (Fe). While
small or gradual changes in the magnetic field are common, magnetic anomalies are
typically noticeable by the amplitude of the change (x>2nT) in a small period of time (y