Explanation of Indicator
Florida's historic structures and archaeological sites are major contributors to the quality of life enjoyed by the citizens and visitors of the state. These places are of substantial economic value, contribute to urban revitalization, serve as sources o
f recreation, and provide important tangible links to Florida’s heritage. State and federal laws mandate that the state maintain an inventory of all known historic structures and archaeological sites. There are currently over 18,000 known archaeological
sites contained in the Florida Site File; however, these represent only a small part of Florida’s heritage, since less than ten percent of the area of most Florida counties has undergone field survey by a qualified archaeologist.
Most areas of the state historically settled by humans are located in the coastal counties, and a greater number of the recorded sites are located in the coastal zone. Care should be taken to protect all potential historical resources, as they can never be replaced. The recording of all newly-discovered sites is of prime importance since they can provide archaeologists with new information. This indicator is to be used not as a site inventory but as an indirect indicator of the public’s desire to prese rve and maintain the state’s archaeological treasures.
Data Characteristics
SOURCE
All information regarding archaeological and historic sites can be obtained by contacting Dr. Marion F. Smith, Senior Archaeologist and supervisor of the Florida Site File. Dr. Smith can be contacted at Florida Department of State, Division of Historical
Resources, R.A. Gray Building, 500 Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250, or at (904) 487-2299.
ACQUISITION
All information contained in the site file can be obtained in either hard copy format or through electronic transfer. The data can be arranged by specific sorting codes such as location or date of entry. No cost is associated with obtaining this informa
tion.
COLLECTION
Most historic and archaeological data are gathered using surveys recorded during field visits. The information is later transferred to a computer database.
Data Limitations
A limitation to the data is that not all archaeological sites present within the coastal counties are reported, because not all of the sites are known. Another limitation is that the date a site is placed in the file does not necessarily correspond to th
e date the site was discovered. Therefore, a site that was uncovered in 1980 may not show up in the site file until 1981. The site file is the most complete source of accurate information available; however, it is only an inventory database which does n
ot provide any information on the quality or significance of the sites.
Data Analysis
The data show no definitive trend for the number of recorded sites. There are several reasons for the variable nature of the data. The three most common ways a site is uncovered and placed on the list are development, academic interest, and/or local gov
ernment legislation. Thus, in any given year there may have been more activity or research that led to a greater number of site discoveries. While the data do not provide any information on the impact these sites have on Florida’s coastal counties, they
do provide an inventory of known archaeological sites.
Year Number of Sites Year Numberof Sites 1970 12 1983 265 1971 18 1984 296 1972 93 1985 256 1973 52 1986 248 1974 162 1987 288 1975 145 1988 655 1976 174 1989 514 1977 159 1990 447 1978 150 1991 458 1979 137 1992 419 1980 122 1993 471 1981 120 1994 522 1982 340 1995 487