On October 22, 1924 while Crescent Lake was being cleaned out an ancient canoe hewn from a cypress log was found. At first, historians thought it was originally made by the Indians, but concluded it had been brought by Menendez during his exploration of the area. The Indians took the canoe after Menendez’s garrison was slaughtered. The dugout canoe is believed to have been used by the Indians for fishing. However, this is a theory and there are others who believe the dugout canoe was made by Native Americans. The age of the canoe is also not clear. Although radiocarbon testing on the canoe shows the wood dates back to the time of Menendez’s exploration, others believe the canoe is only around couple of hundred years old based on the construction techniques. Whichever version of history you believe, it is still a very old canoe that was found in Crescent Lake. The canoe is currently located at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. The museum rotates its exhibits so you may want to check with the museum before visiting if you would like to see the canoe.
Bibliography:
Grismer, Karl H. The Story of St. Petersburg. P.K. Smith & Co., 1948.
Arsenault, Raymond. St. Petersburg and the Florida Dream 1888-1950. The Donning Company, 1988.
