Hart’s Hammock
When Pensacola's Navy Yard was built in the early 19th century, the village of Warrington was formed just to its west.
This village primarily housed the laborers responsible for the Navy Yard’s development and operations, along with their families. A diverse array of people worked alongside one another in Warrington, as people from many different backgrounds were attracted to the employment opportunities offered by the Navy Yard’s construction.
Also critical to the Navy Yard’s development was the labor of enslaved workers, who were often rented from their owners by the federal government. Over the course of the 19th century, these workers were responsible for the construction of many of our nearby historic structures, likely including the Lighthouse itself.
After the initial discovery, three additional archaeological surveys were performed in 2020, 2021, and 2023. These excavations helped to further define the boundaries of the site, and to determine the size and layout of the Hart home. This information, along with historic archives and oral histories from descendents of the family, guided the development of this exhibit. Follow the nature trail ahead of you to learn more about the Harts, their lifestyle, their community, and other Black community leaders in Pensacola during the tumultuous and fascinating period of Reconstruction.
In 2017, archaeological surveys uncovered the brick foundations of a home in the woods just to the west of the Lighthouse. Further research determined that it was once the home of Charles and Winnie Hart, who were residents of Warrington from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. Hart’s Hammock & Archaeological Park was built to tell their story, as well as the stories of many of their neighbors and contemporaries.
Hart’s Hammock In the News
Pensacola Lighthouse new exhibit detail stories of Black figures in Reconstruction.
Read at pnj.com.
