Source
State Library of Florida, WPA - Historical Records Survey, County Histories
Description
Brief history of a spanish block house located at Addison Blockhouse Historic State Park in Volusia County, Florida collected by the Works Progress Administration's Historical Records Survey.
Note to Researchers:
Though the WPA field workers included extensive citations for the factual information contained in these county histories, it should be noted that these historical narratives were produced in the 1930s by federal government employees, and might reflect the inherent social biases of the era.
WPA
COPY VOLUSIA
Edith P. Stanton
Ormond, Florida
SPANISH BLOCK HOUSE
(For Sun Record)
Volusia County may boast of being linked up with the earliest history of our country.
Between the National Gardens road and a bend in the Tomoka River is the ruin of a Spanish block house built in 1569. This building may be even older than the present Fort San Marco at St. Augustine. That probably was first constructed of wood as there was no other material available at that time.
Coquina was first discovered on [Anastasia] Island in 1583. The material for the block house was doubtless obtained from a large coquina pocket less than a mile away.
This house was one of the first, if not the first stone constructions in America.
A letter written by Captain Antonio de Prado to his Majesty the King in 1569 in Madrid explains the need of such a fort near the Harbor of Mosquitos (Halifax) at a place called Nocoroco which is situated between two rivers.
As late as 1700 the maps of this section showed the Tomoka and Halifax as a branch of the St. Johns which makes the location quite clear. Captain de Prado also mentioned that “all the Indians of that district are our enemies and friends of the French”. Then followed the details for the required block house which check perfectly with these ruins. From a military point of view the block house was well located. 300 feet from a bend in the river (now known as Addison Landing or Red Top Landing). There was a tower on the north side where they could observe any approach of the Indians from the forest. The surrounding land doubtlessly was cleared for some distance.
JAN 13 1939
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