Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park

Fort Jefferson is the focal point of the Dry Tortugas National Park. The dry Tortugas are 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. The name given the islands by Ponce de Leon means turtles, for the sea turtles he caught there and dry for the fact there is no water on the islands Getting there crosses a relatively shallow area called the “quick-sands” The “quick-sands” are the final resting place on many ship wrecks. Plans for Fort Jefferson started as early as 1825 but there is a simple way to remember the final date of construction. Before the Civil War the light red bricks came from Pensacola, Florida. After Florida seceded from the Union the dark red bricks were imported from the North. The top fourth of the fort is made of these darker bricks. So final construction occurred during the Civil War and the fort housed over 1000 troops by the end of the war. It was believed that the fort would be a great defense of the Gulf of Mexico. It turned out many ships could steer clear of the islands. After the Civil War, Dr. Samuel Mudd was imprisoned here for the role he played in the assassination of President Lincoln. Today the park is beautifully maintained by the Park Service Rangers who live on the island full time. The white sandy beach is small and the water crystal clear and surprisingly more crowded than you would think being this far removed from Key West.