Though only 36 acres, Fernandina Plaza Historic State Park has a European history extending over three centuries, and human settlements reaching all the way back to 2000-1000 BC.

I arrived on a windy weekend, the bright sun shining off the green grass of the plaza. Perfect for a picnic or wedding, I traced the edges of what was once the parade ground of Spanish Fort San Carlo. Though the area beneath the fort has mostly eroded, the plaza is a vivid reminder of the importance early settlements placed on fortifications.

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