Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site

Digital Record

Identifier: Digital Object ID ##k2cx2a

Staff Only

Dates

Digitized: 2007

Summary Note

The Arcadia Mill site was discovered by Warren Weekes in 1964. In 1828, Josephy Forsyth, a Pensacola merchant and shipper, bought the site for $400 from Juan de la Rua. Forsyth began making improvements to the site with financial and mill help from Ezekiel and Andrew Simpson, forming Forsyth and Simpson in 1830. Operations included a water-poweed sawmill and lumber mill on pond creek. Downstream they built a two-story water-powered sawmill. Later Timothy Twitchell added a saw and shingle mill creating the Arcadia Pail Factory in 1841. In 1845 Forsyth and Simpson formed the Arcadia Manufacturing Company and built a brick textile mill, the largest textile factory in Florida, operated by 25-40 female slaves. After Forsyth's death in 1855 and a fire at the mill, the complex was abandoned.

Rights Statement Note

Photographs and images may not be sold, marketed, or used for commercial applications without express permission from the University of West Florida. Researchers may use photographs and images from these collections provided credit is given to the University Archives and West Florida History Center, UWF Libraries, Pensacola.

Additional Description

Physical Description Note

UWF Publication 198-04-07 (April 2007), for the UWF Historic Preservation, Inc. UWF Publications File, Arcadia Mill. Images from digital editing files, UWF Publications Department.