the                                                        

Mound House

A Cultural & Environmental Learning Center

Archaeology of the Estero Island Site

Prior to 2002, no professional archaeological research had been conducted at the Estero Island Site. The Cultural Resource Management Program at Florida Gulf Coast University, spearheaded by Co-Directors Theresa Schober and Corbett Torrence, was contracted by the Town of Fort Myers Beach to conduct preliminary excavations on the site. 

The objectives of the project were to determine the extent and integrity of the archaeological deposits and the stratigraphic structure and temporal affiliation of the site. To accomplish these goals, intrusive and non-intrusive archaeological methods were employed including an auger and test pit survey, Ground Penetrating Radar, topographic mapping, and hand excavation of eleven one-by-one meter units.

Years of excavation at local mound sites has revealed that these sculpted masses  of shell, bone, and earth are not just ancient refuse piles that formed from the gradual accumulation of garbage.  Instead, our research indicates that they were built in stages and grew as a result of episodic mound building events.  Alternating layers of predominantly shell capped with earth represent building episodes. These layers called strata enable archaeologists to determine the timing of building events and how the shape and size of the mound changed, while the contents of the layers allow us to reconstruct activities and behaviors that occurred at a particular time.

The shell layers are the building blocks of the mound.  One might expect that the materials in the shell layers would become progressively older with depth.  However this  is not always the case. Sometimes the age sequence of the strata is inverted so that old materials rest on top of younger ones. The Calusa recycled and/or borrowed shell materials from previous deposits when constructing some mounds.

The project also provided educational opportunities to the public through volunteer involvement in both the field and laboratory components of the archaeological assessment, site tours of the excavations, and public presentations. One hundred fifteen volunteers participated in field and laboratory work representing over 2,500 hours of volunteer labor.

In January of 2004, a 660-foot long trench was excavated in the middle of the Mound House's western access drive.  The trench, averaging four feet deep, houses new electrical, sewage, and telephone lines.  Placing these utilities underground eliminates the need for poles and unsightly cables that would detract from the Mound House's historical ambiance.  Typically, our excavations provide small, vertical views into the mound, but trenches provide long continuous vistas of deposits enabling insights that can not be gleaned from small excavations.

Walk-in Shell Mound Exhibit

A 1958 swimming pool at the Mound House will soon be the site of an archaeological exhibit that will allow visitors to walk into the shell mound.  When completed, this exhibit will allow residents and visitors the unique opportunity to view the past 2,000 years of occupation at the site.  Funding for this project is being provided by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources.  

Hand excavation in 2006 exposed the floor area and created sufficient space for the exhibit room. Although the existing pool area is large (20 x 40 foot), the shallow end of the pool is only four feet deep. In order for the exhibit room to be developed, clearance will be needed for the interior room and for the ceiling and floor of the exhibit. The exhibit room will be capped by a concrete roof that will support plant growth so the above ground mound landscape will be returned to an early twentieth-century appearance. In addition, the project involves reconstruction of a water cistern known to exist on the site as early as 1906. The top of the cistern rose two to three feet above the mound and this space may be used for needed mechanical and electrical services such as air conditioning in the exhibit.

The pool exhibit will provide a rare opportunity to evaluate a substantial horizontal area of a shell mound. Most excavations into mounds have been characterized by small units or narrow trenches driven deep into the mound. These vertically-oriented excavations enable archaeologists to determine when and how mounds accumulate. Horizontal excavations reveal activity areas and enable archaeologists to evaluate such things as shell tool manufacturing techniques, the size and shape of house structures, and how people organize space in all time periods. Based on excavations adjacent to the swimming pool in 2002, we expect to find evidence of domestic activities that took place in and around Calusa houses.

The final phase of excavation will begin in 2007 and will take place inside the exhibit room. The excavation will involve careful cleaning of the exposed archaeological profiles. These walls must be sloped in such a manner that the various shell layers remain stable. In areas where human activities are evidenced shell mound walls will be stepped down to provide horizontal display surfaces. A laminated glass barrier will prevent visitors from touching the fragile display.

Calusa Indians   House History   Educational Programs   Activities & Events   Newsletters   Contact Us