Driving into Fort Walton Beach, it is hard to imagine the area devoid of the infrastructure and buildings which make up the expanding metroplex of coastal Florida. Restaurants, marinas, tee shirt shops and other residue of the 20th and 21st century occupation by people who came to the area for a variety of reasons.
Prior to the population explosion after World War II the area was thinly populated by those employed in marine industries (primarily fishing) and timber. Roads were two lane and frequently unpaved. Homes were built to take advantage of breezes since air conditioning had not arrived.
This lifestyle had continued for centuries with an ebb and flow of the population which was influenced by weather and the demand for local raw materials. A hurricane or economic downturn could quickly influence the few residents to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Even before the Spanish arrived in Pensacola and St. Augustine, the local’s residents had a flourishing village with all the comforts of life before trans-Atlantic travel. There was a secure source of fresh water, food and construction materials for homes and buildings for public use.
The multiple centuries have erased much of the evidence of these first occupants. However, there is a mound in downtown Fort Walton Beach thought to be constructed over 1,000 years ago.
Heritage Park is a site meant to preserve the history and culture of the area’s first residents. 
While masks are not required in the park, the temperature of guests will be checked before entry is granted. 
The reconstructed temple is not currently open to the public, but it can be seen from a separate viewing area.
The peak looms over the geologic landscape of nearly flat costal planes implying something beyond nature’s hand at work. This feat was accomplished well before the advent of modern construction equipment or the arrival of horses with the Spanish conquistadors.
One basket or pot of soil at a time over the quarter acre site. Given the estimated population of the area more than a millennium in the past, the hill must have taken years to complete.
Contemporary leadership must have been very convincing to get the commitment of the residents to keep this project moving forward. It can only be conjectured if the workers were voluntary or there was a form of conscription employed to ensure completion.
Archeologists and sociologists have outlined a society and culture which used this mound to revere their leadership and deities. When first excavated there was evidence of a public building or temple which was frequently used over an extended period of time.
Between the remains of corner post the soil was compressed to a density not found in nature. With no written records, the modern observers could only speculate based on the pottery and other shreds of evidence left by the indigenous peoples of long ago.
What to Expect: This historic site is on U.S. 98 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, near the center of town. Parking is very limited. There is a museum which charges a minor entry fee, but is open only during the latter half of the week. The reconstructed temple is not currently open to the public, but stairs on the east side of the building lead to a viewing area.
The town has many lodging and dining options for visitors.
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