Archaeological and Nature Preserve at Emerson Point, Florida is Site of Largest Temple Mound in Tampa Bay Area

One of my favorite activities is hiking around natural preserves with my dog.

Trail ascending Portavant Temple Mound.

At least I don't have expensive hobbies like boats, bikes, or golf! I'm content walking Bitsie around🐶

Fortunately in Florida there are many protected mangroves and wetlands in the Tampa Bay Area and one of my favorites is Emerson Point, on the North Shore of the Manatee River near Palmetto.

^{(Source: Screen shot from Goggle Maps modified by @qiyi)}

In addition to many nice hiking, birding, and kayaking facilities, this is an archeological site with major significance.

Today, we enjoy a nice cool jungle at the tip of a peninsula. However the centerpiece of the site is a huge mound now smothered by jungle...except for evidence of a homestead from the 19th Century.

Scholars believe around 1000 AD, the "Portavant Mound was the largest mound in the region.

Surrounding it and all around the bay are other mounds called "mittens," where shells were discarded and recycled into tools and other objects.

References:
Emerson Point Preserve on Wikipedia
Portavant Mound on Wikipedia

_{Photo credits:
All photos are original iPhone 7S smartphone photos from @qiyi}