JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some students at the University of North Florida are digging for history on Big Talbot Island during the fall semester. Archaeologists from UNF have been digging on Big Talbot Island since 1998. While digging, the students have unearthed pieces of pottery that they refer to as San Marcos and San Pedro pottery, native to the indigenous people. The artifacts found are for the right time period for Timucuan villages, but they’ll keep digging until they get lucky and find that specific area. The fall dig session will end by thanksgiving of 2020, but UNF will continue to dig at the same location for the next three to four years.

ModernCities.com put together a list of 12 fun activities and popular attractions in Duval County -- all free of charge. Cummer Museum of Art & GardensIf youre an art lover with a free Friday night, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is the place to be. In addition to the fort replica, there are also miles of trails and the Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center. Elsewhere in Jacksonvilles massive Timucuan Preserve, you can visit Kingsley Plantation, the Spanish Pond, and Cedar Point. Check out the remaining eight jewels of Jacksonville you can enjoy for free at moderncities.com/article/2019-jul-12-free-things-to-do-in-jacksonville-page-2

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. When you think of a day at the beach, you're probably thinking of a sun-drenched, sandy shore with the sun glistening off the ocean. Boneyard Beach on Big Talbot Island is covered in the bleached skeletons of oak and cedar trees. To get to Big Talbot Island State Park on A1A North, get off on Heckscher Drive heading east from I-295 and travel about 19 miles. Or you can take the Mayport ferry across the St. Johns River and then go north on A1A to Big Talbot. For more on the amenities and experiences Big Talbot Island offers, including a fishing pier, boat ramp and picnic area, go to https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/big-talbot-island-state-park or call 904-251-2320.