subject: The Abandoned Florida Fort [print this page] Florida is possibly one of the most beautiful American vacation destinations which makes it extremely popular with families and individuals of all ages - leading to long line ups at all of the main attractions. If you're tired of counting yourself among the throngs of other visitors, why not try something a little more relaxed, less populated and wrapped in history. Fort Jefferson, an abandoned military fort in the remote Dry Tortugas keys, sees on average only 200 visitors a day. A boat ride or seaplane flight will get you to this beautiful national park located 70 miles west of Key West.
The fort is the largest example of masonry in the entire Western Hemisphere, built out of over 16 million bricks. Twenty years after the USA bought Florida from Spain, in 1846, construction was started. Investigators from the U.S. Navy found that the Dry Tortugas islands--first discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon--barely rose above sea level, contained no sources of fresh water, and were liable to completely disappear beneath the waves if hit by a large enough hurricane. Nonetheless, the 11 tiny islands were situated in just the right place; They stood to fortify American control of the Gulf's shipping routes and make ideal defense posts. Naturally formed inner and outer harbors would provide shelter for friendly ships while being a deadly trap for enemies.
Fort Jefferson was designed as a six-sided, three-tiered defensive masterpiece, with a circumference of over 2500 feet. It was essentially a massive gun platform, impervious to enemy assault. The inner parade ground contained living quarters and storehouses for gunpowder; soldiers began serving there as soon as possible, living among the masons, carpenters, and blacksmiths who continued construction around them. Despite being incomplete fort and Union-operated during the Civil War it served as a handy military prison for deserters and civilian robbers. In fact, a great deal of the later construction phases were completed by these prisoners. In 1865, four famous civilians were interred there: Edmund Spangler, Michael O'Laughlen, Samuel Arnold, and Dr. Samuel Mudd, part of the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, and tried for conspiracy.
Two thousand people inhabited Fort Jefferson at it's peak. The water supply that was set up based on a cistern system, was prone to contamination, even though the rainwater was filtered, and it fell into disuse. Any supplies had to be ferried in. Construction continued through the 1860s despite an epidemic of yellow fever, but the structure was never fully finished. The maintenance cost of Fort Jefferson eventually proved too onerous and by 1888, it was deemed militarily; even the toughest of men found the tropical weather very trying and hazardous, and hurricanes were also a constant problem.. The Army withdrew, and for the next several decades the fort was used as a quarantine station by the Marine Hospital Service.
Franklin Roosevelt designated the fort as a National Monument in 1935, and in 1992 the entire Dry Tortugas became an official National Park--one of the most remote parks in the continental United States. The entire Dry Tortugas is visitable, but can only be reached by ferry or seaplane. Tourists can enjoy pristine coral reefs, view wildlife, and, of course, wander Fort Jefferson, which still stands today. It's a unique traveling experience for those that are fans of adventure!
