Fort Jefferson - DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK

Dry Tortugas Keys,  Florida USA 

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 A remarkable 6 sided red brick fort built out in the middle of nowhere to protect God knows what. It is a Civil War-era fort located on a tiny island 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico.

A beautiful place to visit. The architecture is remarkable and considering that all the bricks and material that went into its construction were brought in by sailing ship, only further enhances the awe that is felt. Other forts just don't compare when the magnitude of this feat is realized. See  Fort Matanzas, Castillo De San Marcos

They claim it  was designed to protect one of the most strategic anchorages in North America. Seeing as how the cannons could only shoot 1 to 3 miles at the most and the Fort is many miles from any location our enemies at the time might want to attack,  we can not give logical reason for its construction. The Cannons at the fort were never once fired in protection and the invention of the rifled cannon, which could penetrate  the 8-foot-thick walls of the fort, made the fort obsolete.

U.S. Army originally began construction on the fort in 1846 and construction continued for 30 years, but was never finished and is now undergoing a 6 year renovation and completion project directed by the National Park Service. Extreme care is being taken to ensure that the workmanship is as it was originally including obtaining the materials from the original sources.

You can spend an entire day wandering throughout the Fort and even get up on top of it where the cannons are so large that a slender person can fit down inside of them. It is peaceful and the is no commercialism to destroy the ancient beauty, and is a great place to go and renew your self, paint, contemplate life, stroll with a lover, add pictures to your library or just "veg out".

The Fort is steeped in history;  during the Civil War, Fort Jefferson was used as a Union military prison. The  most famous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd, convicted of complicity in Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Mudd was  pardoned after almost four years of imprisonment, before being pardoned in 1869 by President Andrew Johnson.

In 1898, the USS Maine sailed from Tortugas Harbor on its ill-fated final journey to Havana harbor. The ship exploded there in 1898, killing 266 sailors, and helping spark the Spanish-American war.

There are several Small island in the vicinity of the Fort and the Clear warm waters around it are filled with corals and other sea life. In 1992 the area was declared a national park to help protect this pristine area which has become a favorite spot for yachters and day visitors. 

There are no Food Services or Accommodations and we believe camping is no longer permitted but you could contact  the Parks Service to check on it. However there is plenty of good anchorage near the Fort. Mooring areas are restricted and the Park ranger will likely come out to make sure you know all the rules. (have all your US Coast Guard required gear up to date and on board) Fresh water must be brought with you as there are no supplies available and holding tanks must be dumped per regulations.

In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt set aside Fort Jefferson and the surrounding waters as a national monument. The area was re-designated as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992 to protect both the historical and natural features. The area is known for its famous bird and marine life, and its legends of pirates and sunken gold.

To get to the Fort you must either go by daily high-speed ferry service or seaplanes both of which are available out of several locations along the Southern gulf coast of Florida.

Rating = 7 Worth the trip  See our ratings system

Admission if free (once you get there) excellent Bird Watching

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