Old Fort Park, Turnbull Ruins in New Smyrna Beach, Florida: Worth a Visit

At the Old Fort Park, Turnbull Ruins in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, there is a lovely old-town park that is also a state historic site. The park consists of small walking trails, the New Smyrna Beach Free Library and the coquina shell wall ruins. These ruins are clearly visible atop a small grassy hill, which also provides beautiful views of the boats across from the ruins in the Indian River. The Turnbull Ruins have thick coquina shell wall remnants similar to those in St. Augustine, and there are loose shells all around the old steps and walking trail leading to the top.

The sea wall Turnbull built by the European immigrants who migrated with Turnbull from Greece, Italy and other European colonies, was supposed to provide protection from the river waters, along with a structured system of canals to the right of the ruins, most conveniently known today as Canal Street, the main historic shopping district in town.

The Turnbull ruins are very interesting, for one can look directly down into the infrastructure of the architecture, and see the design firsthand. There are also different viewpoints at which to study the wall from a height perspective.

What makes this historic site interesting aside from the obvious historical factor, is that the area is shaded with very old oak trees, which line the walking trail before the mound, making the park the ideal place to walk a dog or exercise in the hot summer months. The whole area has a unique old Florida charm, one distinctly southern, from the old Baptist church across from the walking trails, to the city hall building and the local vintage homes and old architecture.

Atop the ruins, there is a bench to sit and breath in New Smyrna's velvety breezes, that blow strongly and refresh the senses from the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean is only a short ride over the drawbridge, down Flagler Avenue from the ruins and Old Fort Park.

The Turnbull ruins is home to the annual Art Fiesta in February and a myriad of other festivals, that have helped to put New Smyrna Beach on the map as a cultural and artists colony, one of the best in the South. People are allowed to bring their dogs to the park, but they must pick up after their animals, and there are quite a few garbage pails throughout the park. The park is located along Riverside Drive across Sams Avenue, accessible from U.S.-1 at Canal Street. The back roads behind Canal Street, near the skateboard park is where the ruins are easily located.