Ancient Florida Site, Oldest Human Evidence, Now Protected

The Page-Ladson Site in Jefferson County, which holds the oldest known evidence of human presence in Florida, has been permanently protected. Finalized in December, a conservation easement now safeguards 1,834 acres across Jefferson and Taylor counties. This protected area boasts extensive frontage along the Aucilla and Wacissa Rivers, as well as the Slave Canal and the significant Nutall Rise spring.

The land, surrounded by public wildlife areas, is a critical link within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The conservation easement, funded in part by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, prohibits residential, industrial, and commercial development. This ensures the preservation of the property's archaeological significance, including fossils and evidence of human activity dating back approximately 14,550 years.

John Ladson, whose family has owned the property since the 1940s, expressed the family's long-held desire to protect this unique treasure. The easement guarantees the protection of water quality in the Aucilla and Wacissa rivers, both designated Outstanding Florida Waterways, and ensures that the entirety of the Wacissa River system remains undeveloped.

Remains from mastodons and Colombian mammoths have been found on the property since 1968, alongside tools and pottery indicating early human habitation. Tool marks on bones discovered near the Aucilla and Wacissa rivers provided the earliest evidence of humans in the United States, dating to around 14,550 years ago.

The Slave Canal, a historic waterway potentially used for transport by indigenous tribes and early European settlers, remains a popular paddling destination. The conserved floodplain forests and coastal hammocks on the Ladson property play a crucial role in minimizing flooding and supporting diverse wildlife, ensuring this wild Florida experience endures.