Yellow Bluff Fort Historic State Park
Interactive Park Map
About the Location
Historical Significance
Yellow Bluff Fort Historic State Park is a small 1.3-acre park located in Jacksonville, Florida, near the mouth of the St. Johns River. The park preserves the site of a Civil War encampment that was fortified and equipped with large guns to protect the river access.
Despite its name, there was never an actual fort constructed at Yellow Bluff. Instead, the site contains T-shaped earthwork fortifications that were built in 1862 and occupied by both Confederate and Union troops at different times during the Civil War.
Military History
At its peak, the encampment housed over 250 soldiers. The park offers visitors a glimpse into Civil War history through its preserved earthworks and interpretive displays.
A stone monument erected in 1950 provides information about the site's historical significance. Several replica cannons are positioned around the park to represent the artillery that once defended this strategic location.
Park Features
Situated in a residential area off New Berlin Road, the park features a small parking area and picnic facilities under the shade of live oak trees. A short nature trail circles the earthworks, allowing visitors to explore the site and imagine what it may have been like during wartime.
African American Heritage
Yellow Bluff Fort is significant not only for its role in Civil War defenses, but also for its connection to African American history. Companies of the U.S. Colored Troops were stationed at Yellow Bluff in 1864, making it an important site in the story of African American military service during the Civil War.
