The River of May
Fort Caroline National Monument
"[H]aving landed [on the River of May's shore]... we saw the chief of that country, ... he ... showed such enthusiasm that he almost lost his composure. He came up to us... repeating ...'friend, friend.'"
Captain René de Laundonnière, 1564
Captain René de Laundonnière, on June 22, 1564, arrived in New France with his three ships and some 200 French Protestant noblemen, soldiers, and artisans, landing along the River of May (St. Johns River). The adventurous men and women brought their fears, hopes, and dreams. Would they survive in this strange land? Would they discover the riches they imagined? The colonists were hopeful.
The French found a site for their settlement on June 30th. Protected by a bluff commanding a river view, the spot offered fertile land, potable water, woodland fruits and building materials, and an abundance of fish. The French soldiers thought the ground defensible and its closeness to the sea afforded access for ships. Above all, the Timucuan natives seemed friendly and willing to help them in their new world.
Marker is on Ft. Caroline Road, on the left when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
