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All the United States Florida Key West Dry Tortugas
AO Edited

Dry Tortugas

These remote Florida islands have a history of sea turtles and sunken treasures, and one of the world's largest coastal brick fortresses.

Key West, Florida

Added By
anhie
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Fort Jefferson, moat and wall   Scott/Flickr user
Fort Jefferson, moat and wall   Scott/Flickr user
Sea plane arriving at Dry Tortugas   rickz/Flickr
Dr. Mudd’s cell   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
🪦   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Visit by ferry ⛴️   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
360 View of Fort Jefferson  
A look inside the fortress wall   samhudock / Atlas Obscura User
The View From Fort Jefferson   turtlex / Atlas Obscura User
Arches everywhere looking in to the centre of the fort.   broadripplehome / Atlas Obscura User
  judiann0927 / Atlas Obscura User
Walking around the moat to the north beach to find a snorkelling spot nearby.   broadripplehome / Atlas Obscura User
Dry Tortugas from a Sea Plane   samhudock / Atlas Obscura User
Atop the fortress   samhudock / Atlas Obscura User
snorkeling by the moat wall   planan / Atlas Obscura User
an island paradise!   planan / Atlas Obscura User
arches in the casements   planan / Atlas Obscura User
John Audubon in 1832 and Ernest Hemingway in the 1930’s spent much time in the Dry Torugas.   broadripplehome / Atlas Obscura User
beautiful coral on the moat wall   planan / Atlas Obscura User
Visit by seaplane ✈️   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Fort Jefferson   turtlex / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Juan Ponce de Leon first stumbled upon this stretch of islands in 1513, back when they were nothing more than clusters of coral inhabited by sea turtles. Upon his discovery, de Leon named the islands "Las Tortugas" (meaning "the turtles"), and is said to have subsisted off 160 of these very animals while on his journey through the high seas. ("Dry" was later added to the islands' name as an attempt to warn mariners of the lack of freshwater in the area.)

After de Leon's discovery, the Dry Tortugas became a fixture on Spanish ship maps for merchants and explorers going to and from the Gulf Coast. Seventy miles west of the Florida Keys, and in a prime location between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, the Dry Tortugas soon became a popular shipping corridor.

Despite the passageway's popularity, the Dry Tortugas also became the site of hundreds of shipwrecks. The seasonal shallow waters and hazardous weather conditions lent to the corridor's infamous title as the "ship trap." To this day, a large collection of sunken treasures still lies beneath the surface waters. Seventeenth-century vessel remains, cannons, and glassware are among some of the maritime relics.

Of all the Dry Tortugas treasures, though, Fort Jefferson perhaps remains the crown jewel. Once Florida was acquisitioned from Spain in 1822, the United States began plans to erect a naval station that would help combat piracy in the Caribbean. Eventually, the U.S. Navy agreed on the Dry Tortugas as the site for their fortress, arguing that U.S. shipping in the Gulf Coast would be in jeopardy if a hostile power were to take over the islands.

In 1847, after seventeen years of extensive planning, Fort Jefferson began construction on the Garden Key Island. The design plans called for a practically indestructible hexagonal fortress, complete with a massive 420 heavy-gun platform. Two sides of the fort measured 325 feet and four sides measured 477 feet. The structure stood 45-feet above sea level, surrounded entirely by a wall and a 70-foot wide moat. Though construction lasted for roughly thirty years, Fort Jefferson was never fully completed. Despite this, 16 million bricks were laid, making it one of the largest coastal forts ever built.

During the Civil War the fort was also used as a prison, mainly for Union deserters. The most famous inmate, however, was Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. After shooting President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth jumped from the theater box, broke one of his legs, and immediately fled to Dr. Mudd's farm where he received medical assistance.

In 1865, Dr. Mudd was sentenced to life in prison and sent to the remote fortress. Two years later, a yellow fever outbreak occurred at Fort Jefferson. The outbreak took a number of lives, including the lone doctor who had been stationed at the fort. Dr. Mudd agreed to step in as a replacement and, as a result, many lives were saved. Consequently, the soldiers started a petition demanding Dr. Mudd's release; a petition which President Andrew Johnson granted only four years into Dr. Mudd's life sentence.

The fort was abandoned by the Army in 1874. In later years it served as a coaling station, a quarantine station for the Marine-Hospital Service from 1888-1900, during which the location was also used in the Spanish-American War and, in 1935, it was registered by President Roosevelt as a National Monument. Today it operates as part of the Dry Tortugas National Park. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the Dry Tortugas are considered to be one of America's most remote and least visited national parks.

Related Tags

Animals Water Islands Architectural Oddities Ruins Sea Forts Architecture

Know Before You Go

The best way to get there is by sea plane from Key West. When flying, you will be able to look down and see large sea turtles and other sea creatures. When visiting, I recommend adequate footwear because the sand is hot and the fortress is littered with stone and other hazards. It's a pretty free range place; we felt free to walk wherever wasn't under rehabilitation. 

Community Contributors

Added By

anhie

Edited By

mattrei, samhudock, stephanieconrad77, turtlex...

  • mattrei
  • samhudock
  • stephanieconrad77
  • turtlex
  • planan
  • Collector of Experiences
  • broadripplehome
  • judiann0927
  • Jason Michael Walker
  • gita422
  • Wanderuss

Published

December 14, 2009

Edit this listing

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Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm
  • http://www.keywesttravelguide.com/dry_tortugas.html
  • http://www.sunnydayskeywest.com/fastcat.htm
  • https://www.drytortugas.com/fort-jefferson-history/
Dry Tortugas
Key West, Florida, 33040
United States
24.628611, -82.873333
Visit Website

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