the cow ford is still there. Its just a line where cows crossed the river.. It was just an economic activity, not a city name.
10/4
An "Imaginary Indian Metropolis"
Waca Pilatka
Vaca Pilatka Cow Crossing
Located per present day Liberty Street
Where the 'fording' cows imaginary too?
Don't forget tidal flow!.......We must assume that crossings typically occurred at low tide periods.
If in fact there existed a fordable river section, the shallow waters would have been historically defining, both as to ecosystem influence,specific feature and human efforts to deepen.
Imagine the present day narrow and deep sections of river tidal waters passing over 'fordable' waters at approximately Liberty Street.
A huge volume of water gushing over the shallow ford (shoal),even high tide periods would have produced 'rapids',convoluted water columns (Per acknowledged past Miami River 'rapids')
If a fordable shoal existed,when in fact did human efforts at deepening occur? Are there early maps or other depictions of a bonafide shore to shore fordable shoal?
It's 70 feet deep in front of the Landing,which might suggest a natural deep pool adjacent to shoal/water action.Or a result of human dredge efforts?
The Spanish erected Outposts well upstream-one at present day Clay County,one at present day St Johns County,in hopes of preventing an invasion via the St Johns River......1734. Apparently the existence of a natural shoal blockage to vessel passage was of no consequence.Or perhaps passage over the 'ford'/shoal occurred at high tide? By the 1850's the 260 ton,140 foot steamboat "Magnolia" was making runs between Palatka and Savannah. More 'ship' activity followed.Perhaps General Land office Survey maps circa 1835 might lend a hint to past river depth.
If a fordable shoal existed river hydrology must have been drastically altered as a result of human deepening.