JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The thundering roar of a cannon, the gentle hum of cicadas, the soothing crash of the waves on the shore, these are the sounds of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Centered in and around one of the Atlantic Coast’s largest urban areas, the preserve offers glimpses of old Florida. The 46,000-acre respite from the hustle and bustle of life can transport visitors back in time. 

Here you can wander in the footsteps of the Timucua, the native people of Florida whose shell mounds dot the preserve. In the midst of the city of Jacksonville lay the trails to the past. Passing over a small wooden bridge, the Willie Browne trail leads to the “shell Peninsula,” consisting of mounds of oyster shells left over thousands of years of habitation.  Read more

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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 398 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.