Fort King Road

Fort King Road is a Florida historical marker in Ridge Manor, Hernando County, dedicated 1975.

along S.R. 50. (See Comments), Ridge Manor

Get directions ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

Shortly after Florida became a U.S. Territory, Fort Brooke was constructed at the mouth of the Hillsborough River and Fort King was established near the present site of Ocala. In 1825, work was begun by the federal government on an overland route connecting those fortifications. This "Military Road" was improved and soon was known as the "Fort King Road." It was an important transportation and communication link during the Second Seminole War (1835-42), a conflict over the removal of Indians from Florida. This route remained a vital mail and wagon road during the 19th century development of central Florida. Presently, U.S. Highway 301 crosses the course of one of the oldest major roads in Florida, the Fort King Road.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1825 · Floride. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1859 · Colton's Florida (1859) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1860 · Johnson's Florida (1860) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1868 · Colton's Florida (1868) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1870 · Johnson's Florida (1870) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Floride, 1825, covering the location of Fort King Road, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Floride, 1825, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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Marker data: Florida Historical Marker Program, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State

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