Florida's Abandoned Island Fort

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Жыл бұрын

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Fort Jefferson is a massive but unfinished coastal fortress. It is the largest brick masonry structure in the Americas and is composed of over 16 million bricks. The building covers 16 acres (6.5 ha). Among United States forts, only Fort Monroe in Virginia and Fort Adams in Rhode Island are larger. The fort is located on Garden Key in the lower Florida Keys within the Dry Tortugas National Park, 68 miles (109 km) west of the island of Key West. The Dry Tortugas are part of Monroe County, Florida, United States.
Chapters:
00:59 - Why Florida needed a military Fort
03:02 - How Fort Jefferson would have been America’s most crucial fort
04:07 - The construction of Fort Jefferson
05:23 - Fort Jefferson lighthouse
05:59 - Why Bricks from New York don’t work in Florida
07:07 - Construction delays in Fort Jefferson
08:23 - Why the Leadership of Fort Jefferson couldn’t change
09:49 - Fort Jefferson was overbudget
10:27 - Fort Jefferson during the civil war
12:23 - The downfall of Fort Jefferson
14:24 - Why Fort Jefferson was a failure
IT’S HISTORY - Weekly tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.
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» CREDIT
Scriptwriter - Brad Sapp
Editor - Piotr Kubiak,
Host - Ryan Socash
» SOURCES
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» NOTICE
Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.

Пікірлер: 373

@Phillipthe2 Жыл бұрын

Mobile (mow-beel) Pensacola (Pen-suh-cola)

@jerrycomo2736 Жыл бұрын

I counted up to three mispronunciations then quit.

@tomallen8459 Жыл бұрын

Well, it's in the south, spanish north america. Yankees shouldn't be drafted for reading our words

@charlesmtaylor31 Жыл бұрын

@@tomallen8459 I'm from GA and I've heard Southerners mispronounce Southern place names.

@Lomhow Жыл бұрын

Based

@LynxStarAuto Жыл бұрын

I'm from Miami, and we say Moe-bile

@kidcharlemagne7450 Жыл бұрын

Oddly, when I think of Florida, Disneyland never comes to mind.

@jmsmeier1113 Жыл бұрын

Considering Disneyland is in California, I can see why, Disney world is in Orlando, an hour from where I live, and it never comes to mind either.

@mr.naughtypants7069 Жыл бұрын

It shouldn't, Disneyland is in California, Disney World is in Florida.

@kennethfarringtonjr6887 Жыл бұрын

Me either and I live there hahahahaha

@last-chance_ Жыл бұрын

Why would it since we have Disney World and Disneyland is in CA.

@Menuki Жыл бұрын

@@jmsmeier1113 but both Disneyland and Disney world are located in Orange County

@csnide6702 Жыл бұрын

OMG.... My cousin and I took his boat there in the mid 1980s. There was literally NOBODY else on the island (as it was before the time it was a national park). it was one of the creepiest days of my life. Very strange vibe while there.

@AlphaWolf789 Жыл бұрын

gee i wonder why lol

@chadsimmons6347 3 күн бұрын

Same kind of story, me & brother 1981,, working in KCMO, went into Union Station, hundreds of pigeons,very nasty! Now restored

@willfriar8054 Жыл бұрын

Fort Jefferson National Park. I did restoration on the Harbor Light back in 98 sandblasted the entire outside we stripped the windows and repainted everything. The parks department is rebuilding the park. That is a National Monument. Just because there weren't a lot of tourists around that particular day. I have seen hundreds in one day when I was working there for months at a time.

@TheSmartLawyer Жыл бұрын

Usually there are many visitors between peak hours of 10 am and 4 pm

@miketech79 Жыл бұрын

I've been there. There were a lot of tourists there that day I was there, so I agree.

@throne1797 7 ай бұрын

It's usually an out-and-back one -day trip from one of the Keys.

@louieflash7190 Жыл бұрын

Went with my family of 4 several years ago. We had a blast. Snorkeling around the outer walls is like swimming in a giant fish tank. Exploring the old fort was also lots of fun. If you are ever staying in Key West this is a must adventure.

@DriverDude100 Жыл бұрын

Visiting this fort by seaplane is an expensive but great adventure. The fort and surroundings are picturesque. In addition to exploring the grounds, one can snorkel around the outer walls.

@BrianTrimble Жыл бұрын

Ft. Jefferson is one of the best maintained "abandoned" forts that is now a National Park that people visit.

@justinmiller1118 11 ай бұрын

Cat

@enstigatorofficial 14 сағат бұрын

the place needs more cats because the island is full of rats. You camp in tents there and rats will be climbing all over, chewing up everything.

@mackpines Жыл бұрын

The Dry Tortugas is such an amazing place. Well worth the long boat ride. It fascinates me how they came up with that idea: A fort out in the ocean! Great spot for snorkeling as well!

@philup6274 Жыл бұрын

Back when men were men. The baby boomers currently have humanity upside down.

@kevinwatts661 Жыл бұрын

@@philup6274 OK, Phil.

@philup6274 Жыл бұрын

@@kevinwatts661 you know I'm right. Or you would have just scrolled on. Your one of them huh?

@TheWaynester101 Жыл бұрын

@@kevinwatts661 ok, boomer

@siriusstar99 Жыл бұрын

Perhaps all of you that dislike “boomers “ should go on a boycott campaign and stop using EVERYTHING that has ever been invented buy boomers.

@presmasterflash7555 Жыл бұрын

A great follow up for this would be the literal opposing end of Florida, another fort maintained but not abandoned and a state park, Fort Pickens on Pensacola Beach. There is a tremendous amount of history there, from the bricks, Geronimo,and so much more.

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

Believe it or not, the Army build over 40 of these types of coastal defense forts after the War of 1812. They can be found as far north as Maine. Even Alcatraz in San Francisco was part of this push to build new coastal defenses.

@presmasterflash7555 Жыл бұрын

@@Backroad_Junkie I can believe that. Any sources on a list of them? Pensacola actually has two. There’s another two in Pensacola. Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens.

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

@@presmasterflash7555 Sure. Do a search on "The Third System Forts". That's the name given to the set of forts and other seacoast defense sites built to beef up the coastal defense system after the War of 1812.

@presmasterflash7555 Жыл бұрын

@@Backroad_Junkie nice. I’ll be looking it up tonight. Thanks

@alexislaisney3404 Жыл бұрын

Fort mcree is further west than Pickens. So is barrancas. I bet you thought the Vax protects too!

@gregorymielke630 Жыл бұрын

In the year of 1964 I was in the Coast Guard. The ship that I was on USCGC WALNUT took care of the buoys around Ft. Jefferson. That was a nice place to visit. I don't think that will ever forget Dry Tortugas Ft. Jefferson.

@NoNORADon911 Жыл бұрын

My Dad was in the Coast Guard in 1959 & 1960 in Key West. He worked on a light house, 3 weeks offshore, 1 week on shore. My brothers were born in Key West, parents had a travel trailer there, was $25 a month lot rent. After they left the trailer remained for about 47 more years through all the storms etc. Trailer Park is now a hotel, I think.

@NoNORADon911 Жыл бұрын

I visited Fort Jefferson in about 2010

@joto4186 Жыл бұрын

I did the Dry Tortugas tour, and got there by sea plane. It's a little pricey, but so worth it. One of the best things i've ever done .

@garyjones2582 Жыл бұрын

Lived in Florida many years, but never heard of this place.. Ryan thx for bringing us along on another adventure.. take care my friend...

@TheJagjr4450 Жыл бұрын

My uncle was on an experimental NAVY ship in the late 60's early 70's. I heard stories about the dry tortugas, launching torpedos at old ship wrecks, and setting off naval mines while doing shock testing on the ship.

@toddgardner8449 Жыл бұрын

This is a great National park to visit. I went once on the Sea Plane out of Key West and once on my buddy’s private boat.

@ericmcballs3894 Жыл бұрын

The sea plane ride was awesome the pilot let me ride next to him up front

@toddgardner8449 Жыл бұрын

@@ericmcballs3894 My son sat there on the way back. He loved it.

@christalbot210 Жыл бұрын

I agree: seaplane is the way to go. I saw a couple of sunken ships from the air (including a submarine), a great view of the sea life, and, since I took the morning flight, got there long before the ferry arrived. Basically had the island to ourselves. The ferry arrived a little bit before it was time for us to head back. Well worth the extra cost (mind you, I was there in the 90's).

@bradschwamberger1217 Жыл бұрын

Just went there in November of 2022. I hated the ride. The fort was amazing.

@comfortablynumb9342 Жыл бұрын

I camped in the beach in front of Fort Jefferson in 91 with my highschool class. We took a boat and caught piles of fish and had a great time checking out the fort and snorkeling around the harbor. I saw a snook swimming with tarpon that would have been a world record, over 50 lbs easily. It was longer than my friend who saw it with me. I'd absolutely love to go back and see it again and stay a week camping. The mote around the fort is great to walk around at night with a strong flashlight, you see fish and lobsters and shrimp all in the mote, and there are fish to catch from the mote wall. Very cool place, especially for people who love fishin'.

@twinkletoes3010 Жыл бұрын

This is the 1st time I have heard about this place. But I have been dreaming of living there4 a year now. Thk u 4 showing me where it is. Thk u.

@tomfrazier1103 Жыл бұрын

Fort Point, San Francisco, an 1855 fort to secure our new California. A lot smaller fort, interlocking with others, I cluding Alcatraz, which became an Army prison, then a Federal one.

@markalley4810 Жыл бұрын

I sail to the Dry Tortugas a couple of times a year it's an amazing place and I hope the government maintains it to preserve our history. It can be dangerous for sailors due to sudden storms and poor holding in the anchorages. I really wish the park service would install mooring balls.

@bowdezaufa2609 Жыл бұрын

Aren't there around 6 mooring balls. But they have a few hour time limit?

@markalley4810 Жыл бұрын

@@bowdezaufa2609 they have a few mooring balls, I think three located at a couple of marked shipwreck Windjammer and one off the east side of Loggerhead Key called little Africa. The holding ground in the anchorages is not the greatest, I always dive the anchor but even that is no guarantee. Absolutely beautiful down there.

@JoeyKO757 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to make this video im 55 and have never heard of that fort before today

@honeycomb8753 Жыл бұрын

You can camp with permission from the park authorities. Limited camp slots are available. It's a VERY small campground outside the walls of the fort. Well worth the cost of the boat ride. Bring your snorkel and swim gear with you when you do the day visit. You can swim around the entire fort.

@helpicantfindaname1 Жыл бұрын

You can camp there and the views of stars at night is amazing.

@LynxStarAuto Жыл бұрын

That's a great idea.

@welleffitthen Жыл бұрын

Excellent video. Going here from key West is definitely worth the trip, as you arrive if you don't see a modern item/vehicle you feel like you went back in time. Round trip and tour will definitely be an all day event. You can camp there but anything you bring in you have to take out. When there i wish I had been able to get to loggerhead key. My great grandfather was a lighthouse keeper in the 1910s there. Not sure that one is restored but still nice to see from fort Jefferson. Also the guides there at fort Jefferson are very friendly and very knowledgeable about this place, will definitely tell you things you never knew about this place. Only downside might be in the summer extremely hot place, if that affects you then better off going November to March. And bring a cooler if your boat allows. Not much rain (dry tortugas).

@jhandling6895 Жыл бұрын

When we visited, the sea was rough. When the captain greets you on the dock and offers to give you your money back, take it. But the fort is well worth seeing if you’ve got the sea legs for it.

@a7xfanben 4 ай бұрын

Fell in love with it from the first picture of it I saw. Great history lesson and overview!

@stephenrichie4646 Жыл бұрын

Sailed there twice. Interesting visit. Good snorkeling waters.

@JenniferinIllinois Жыл бұрын

When I visited Key West, I was going to go out to the first. Unfortunately I didn't have time for the ferry and flights were grounded due to wind. Definitely want to go back to Key West and actually visit the fort though.

@dodg1988 Жыл бұрын

Fort Jefferson is awesome. It is well worth the trip out from Key West

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

I've been to a couple of these post-1812 forts. Fort Pike (just outside of New Orleans, but it may not have survived the hurricanes since I was there), and Fort Pulaski in Georgia. They were all good until a Captain Gilmore test fired the new rifled cannon against Pulaski during the civil war, putting holes right through the walls (and the holes are still there, lol). That was in the early 1860's. It was pretty much all over for these forts after that... If you like to wander these sorts of places, they're very cool.

@thestepfordlife2015 Жыл бұрын

We took the Catamaran there. Went snorkeling. It's awesome.

@philup6274 Жыл бұрын

Can you camp overnight?

@thestepfordlife2015 Жыл бұрын

@@philup6274 You could then. It's a state park so I believe so.

@digitalsmithy Жыл бұрын

I took the plane just last year and I can attest it truly is amazing. I bet it was cool to see the ship wrecks along the way from the perspective of a boat, they looked really cool from above (and some other anomalies) but they went by quick

@toddgardner8449 Жыл бұрын

It’s a National Park. You can take everything you need-including water-over on a ferry or your own boat to camp after getting the permits.

@patriciahobbs9184 Жыл бұрын

Our family went there in late 90's. It was awesome. We also took the catamaran . Going over was smooth sailing but coming back we hit tough waters and a lot of folks were really seasick. There was a jail there and Doctor Mudd was sentenced there. The doctor was the one that treated John Wilkes Booth after he shot Abraham Lincoln. Very interesting trip! I would love to go back again.

@ronaldschoolcraft8654 Жыл бұрын

We tent-camped over night at Fort Jefferson with our kid's in 2004. Great experience.

@ranthonybab8670 10 ай бұрын

Just visited Dry Tortugas 2 days ago. Beautiful.

@eloiseharbeson2483 Жыл бұрын

The name says it all. The "dry" Tortugas are called such because they have no water sources. Every gallon of drinking water had to be brought in by ship. Not ideal for a fortification.

@williamgarayua5878 Жыл бұрын

20 years in Florida, stayed in Key West a couple nights, but never heard about this historical site worrh to visit.

@amyrichard3203 Жыл бұрын

We first visited there in 1977. Didnt see anyone, the park rangers must have been napping. Flew there again in 1989 with our kids, one in diapers, and camped. Back twice on the big ferry boat, camping and kayaking. Hours before a big storm hit, we were snooping in the fort looking for numerous ghosts seen there, and had ball lightning come down out of a tree and follow us into a dark room, lighting it up. Pretty weird. The following year the head ranger took us on a ghost tour late at night. He was there seven years, and had a few good stories. As did marine biologists who were stationed there.

@AaronsRandomLife Жыл бұрын

good Morning Phil!! good to catch you today! Thanks for the nice reply about my new projects!!

@stevenhall9009 Жыл бұрын

The iron Lighthouse shown Atop The Fort is not the first lighthouse built on the island, the first lighthouse built on the island was a traditional brick masonry lighthouse built on what is now the parade ground inside the fort.

@satishpatel5260 Жыл бұрын

WOW, awesome place in,FLORIDA HISTORICAL so BEAUTIFULLY BUILT today's, FLORIDA, 👌👍

@subparnaturedocumentary Жыл бұрын

i would honestly like to visit this place! it sort of reminds me of fort sumter and i really enjoyed the ferry ride there and the visit.

@Jonathan_O Жыл бұрын

Good timing considering this is Gasparilla month in Tampa w/ biggest even today, 1/28/23 The Gasparilla Pirate Invasion and Parade. Just 300,000 people celebrating those crazy pirates 🏴‍☠️

@AladeenZ32 Жыл бұрын

Just went there this summer. It was amazing.

@jamesdeininger3759 Жыл бұрын

We took our boats there 2 years ago from Key West. It’s a hell of a long ride, but very cool to see.

@karlchapman7283 Жыл бұрын

love your videos Ryan

@Vyleea Жыл бұрын

I always loved bastion/star fortresses asthenic. They don't get nearly the love they deserve considering how effective they also were. Some of these could withstand against cannon bombardment during sieges for decades.

@mrb.5610 Жыл бұрын

Totally agree. Were lucky in Brit-land - we have quite a few. And I often wondered why they weren't adopted for more modern times - a star fortress with machine guns on the bastions would be a formidable defensive structure against small scale local insurgents.

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

Up until the early 1860's. Then, the rifled cannon was developed, and could put holes right through the walls of forts like this. It made all of these forts obsolete, fairly quickly. They weren't abandoned, but they didn't serve the purpose the government desired when they were built.

@TheWaynester101 Жыл бұрын

@@mrb.5610 if you visit puerto rico, take a tour of the El Morro fort. In one of the stairways you can see a single bullet pierced through the wall during the spanish american war

@mrb.5610 Жыл бұрын

@@francismarion6400 That's been said about the forts around Portsmouth in the UK - imagine around a *dozen* of fortresses the same size as that one encircling a naval base - and ones even built in the sea like small islands ! Never, ever, fired a shot in anger - or were shot at - but their mere presence may have made the French just think that an attack would be pointless - so why bother ? !

@Jack-Hands Жыл бұрын

Here in the Netherlands we have a LOT. And I mean a LOT. Most were built during our golden age in the 17th century. But the 19th and 20th century forts are quite amazing to.

@keithmitchell6548 Жыл бұрын

The modern stock video is distracting. Gives it a corporate video feel to it. Other than that, it’s an interesting site.

@robertscheinost179 Жыл бұрын

Navy guy here. I spent 2 years in KW on the USS Howard W. Gilmore 1971/2 I had ample opportunity to go there, both on private boats and tour boats, but I never did. I went back to KW for Christmas and New Years 1996/97 for a 25th reunion with some of the guys that could make it. I never went to fort Jeff either time but knew its History and saw all the post card vendors had a photo of the Fort in their selection of cards. Do I wish I visited the fort? Heck no! KW was a "prison" with history and hot as Hell. The chance to take a boat 60+ miles further away from the mainland to see another "prison" was insane to me The postcards and History were well known to me. Besides they had a fort that was in KW similar in age and construction. The best thing about the Keys is when you are packing up to leave. None the less, thanks for a great video about something that most people never even heard of, very accurate! It seems our Government hasn't learned a thing, we still can't help building White Elephants!

@plightfoot8491 Жыл бұрын

Not a place for grumpy old men

@ycplum7062 Жыл бұрын

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the fort was that it was unsustainable unless you have command of the sea around it because of the lack of fresh water.

@K8_bman Жыл бұрын

They have a rain water collection system on the roof

@doctaj.2571 Жыл бұрын

Florida Man, here... I have never in my life heard of this. Great video!

@BPBomber Жыл бұрын

*Disney World. Disneyland is in California.

@sherirobinson6867 Жыл бұрын

Johnny Bravo called and he wants his hairstyle back, just saying

@johndilday1846 Жыл бұрын

Huh-Hut!

@freetolook3727 Жыл бұрын

I'm surprised that hurricanes haven't washed it away after all these years.

@ladyaly864 Жыл бұрын

Hurricanes winds are not as destructive as people think...Specially on rocks that weigh tons...Some of the Hotels on "Deco Drive" Miami beach were built in the 1920s and are still standing and in use to this day...The devastations you see through hurricanes are mostly the flooding and flying debris...Once the waters recedes, you clean up and repair roofs if needed and the glass...The fort doesn't have any glass soo that part is no problem...

@freetolook3727 Жыл бұрын

Shifting sands. Like shown in the video of the turtle houses.

@letsgobrandon987 Жыл бұрын

That fort still standing will be there long after we’re gone. It’s one of the key arguments against rising sea levels allegedly caused by Climate Change. It should be under water by now….

@stamps45 Жыл бұрын

i love the fingers going up the stairs made of blocks lol that's hilarious.

@neilyaremchuk6798 Жыл бұрын

Take the Yankee Freedom Ferry to the Dry Tortugas out of Key West. A guy named Hollywood gives a generous tour. The fort wasn't abandoned but decommissioned. It was an engineering boondoggle and fiscally a waste yet important to controlling the war effort nonetheless. It is part of the US National Park system and is manned by a Park Ranger every day of the year.

@kurtiseschofield Жыл бұрын

Nobody forgot Fort Jefferson. It continued to be used on and off until just before WW1. FDR made it a national park.

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

Uh... FDR declared it a National Monument. Congress made it a National Park in the early 1990's...

@csnide6702 Жыл бұрын

@@Backroad_Junkie exactly ... it sat empty for years.

@Rickm505 Жыл бұрын

I've sailed there and spent a week at anchor at Fort Jefferson. This is a busy place, with sea planes and tour boats from Key West arriving daily.

@wendellellison3482 Жыл бұрын

On my bucket list!!!

@mike57876 Жыл бұрын

It’s a great place to visit and camp

@patrick383ironworker Жыл бұрын

MO-BEEL, Alabama

@miakiceh Жыл бұрын

Interesting presentation - thanks for sharing online. Although, I thought it was odd that you emphasized that each of the commanders had no engineering background... then you also mentioned that an officer requested an engineer (and was denied). Funding was poor. Then stated, that engineering was a challenge. ...Which may have not been that challenging for somebody that knew something about engineering. Haha

@hannahpumpkins4359 Жыл бұрын

I used to live in Key West. If you want to visit the fort and are prone to seasickness, take the seaplane - or, if you're taking the ferry, get prescription seasickness medicine (Scopolamine patch - it goes behind your ear and works great; BTW those seasickness wrist bands are complete BS, and Dramamine will make you tired - but if you decide on that, take one the night before the trip, and one the morning of) from your doctor (it's worth it) as the seas between KW and the DT can often be quite rough (turning the ferry into the puke boat from hell). Same thing if you take the ferry from Ft. Myers to KW - it can be a stomach churner, and a 4-5 hour boat ride while being seasick is no fun at all...

@Eric_Hutton.1980 Жыл бұрын

Fort Jefferson on Dry Tortugas I'm guessing before I even watch the video to see if I guessed right.

@captainjocassee Жыл бұрын

The stars are Absolutely amazing at night time there

@petercullipher9438 Жыл бұрын

Ironically, I’m from St. Augustine Florida (in the NE) and grew up fishing and scuba diving. With all my trips to the Keys, I don’t remember ever coming across this location.

@plightfoot8491 Жыл бұрын

This is a two hour boat ride from key west very isolated

@benjaminmatheny6683 Жыл бұрын

I have been there. Its about 2.5 hour ferry one way trip west of Key West. It also includes a Bird Sanctuary. It's pretty interesting to visit, but more for the nature than for the fort itself. They funniest thing for me is that the US built a lot of these "star" style forts, but did it right before they lost most of their defensive value. The brick work wasn't going to stand up long to the WW1 era artillery.

@bobbyatman273 Жыл бұрын

These things are all over the globe and were not built for protection and not when they are telling you but much earlier

@samanthab1923 Жыл бұрын

Isn’t it part of the parks system?

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

Yes. It's a National Park... (I assume you mean the NPS...)

@Peetreesaur Жыл бұрын

Fort Carrol in Baltimore is similar. Check it out

@blintzkreig1638 Жыл бұрын

Missing prepositions combined with some incorrect statements concerning the fortress of Gibraltar. Malta is an island south of Sicily, unrelated to Gibraltar.

@kevinrice1715 Жыл бұрын

the whole video is full of errors and general silliness ...

@tehfiredog Жыл бұрын

Tis a really cool place, visit it if you can. Maybe less so to have been stationed there... no shots were ever fired there in anger... but plenty were in boredom!

@tedsell1455 Жыл бұрын

Home of the most Beautiful Stars in America. !

@WildRapier Жыл бұрын

This is a cool spot to go. You can also camp with reservations. No fresh water, bring your own (i.e. "Dry" Tortugas). Coral is amazing! Though I had a shark swim right at me within 10' then turn to follow the outer walkway. Nurse shark! Just a nurse shark...still when your 50' from shore in 15' of water with fins on, your heart tends to quicken...not a good thing...in the water.....with a shark!

@ilovebohol Жыл бұрын

yep, went there Dec '22 and stayed for close to 3 hours, flight took close to an hour. so plan around 6 hours start to finish including going to the airport.

@porkflaps4717 Жыл бұрын

I went and stayed there for like 8-10 days around 2010, some dude was stuck there in a company boat without the gas to get to the mainland and I shared weed with him, he took us fishing for dinner for a week straight we ate like kings. The place was awesome, I would recommend camping there 100%

@marksnyder8189 Жыл бұрын

It's a park. You can camp by it. But the fort is considered dangerous. So, you can only visit during certain hours

@comfortablynumb9342 Жыл бұрын

It's worth mentioning that the Coast Guard has a little base on an island a few miles from Garden Key/Fort Jefferson. They have blimps that hold radar and other sensors, crew and boats, and possibly a helicopter.

@SilverHonda0767 Жыл бұрын

Been to the Dry Tortugas back in 2019 and had a great time snorkeling there. Now, migrants have landed there past couple of weeks.

@Right-Is-Right Жыл бұрын

two main reasons why the fort was abandoned. Firstly as a fort, attackers just have to go around it, because it was not on the edge of a narrow shipping channel. Secondly steam power, not only was it good for powering ships faster and making trips quicker, to be able to fend off any attacking fleet, but without a fleet there to attack, the enemy has no reason to even attack the island. So why bother splitting up forces and making each group easier to kill off? Not to forget to mention, steam power enabled refrigeration to be run, making the steam ships alot more capable to stay out on any picket libe, without risking the health of the men cruing the ship, ships out at sea is more capable of beating any enemy ships, than a forrt than can bypassed. Literally it was a pointless exercise from the start, but that is US navy planning for you. The idiots still had gun batteries on the west coast at the start of WWII, even though they were so few and far between, the enemy would surely attack between them, land and take them over with superiour land forces than a tiny gun battery garrison had.

@Eluderatnight Жыл бұрын

If they stuck a modern railgun on it they could command the florida straight and cuba.

@fireflyfarmNY Жыл бұрын

Went there 21 yrs ago

@jonnyheathen6104 Жыл бұрын

‘With the greatest faculty of ingress and egress’? 😳

@erykcszminschki7104 Жыл бұрын

I first learned of this from World War Z, where it was used by survivors as a safe zone and fortification.

@Backroad_Junkie Жыл бұрын

Honestly, I thought the same of Key West. If the zombie apocalypse occurs, they just have to raise the bridge on US-1 to cut off the mainland, lol...

@tylerkriesel8590 Жыл бұрын

In the game Left4dead, the survivors are trying to go to the Florida Keys.

@freetolook3727 Жыл бұрын

After the American Civil war, forts like this immediately became obsolete.

@johnnelson8207 Жыл бұрын

It's a National Park I wouldn't describe it as abandoned

@Sharonmxg Жыл бұрын

I am sorry to be pedantic here but if you are in Florida, the park is called Disney World. DisneyLAND is in California.

@mrb.5610 Жыл бұрын

Always liked those Vauban stylee forts ...

@nadiadurand7845 Жыл бұрын

i spent 3 days in a tent by the beach there once, twas really cool!

@BohemianBeatster Жыл бұрын

Groovy fort

@dwaynemaroney7159 7 ай бұрын

I went fishing with my dad when I was a kid. He was in the Navy. They had ships in key west back in 1970. We went fishing on a 50ft. Crew boat. We were out in the open ocean and all of a sudden we came up on a gigantic brick fort out in the middle of nowhere. I remember asking how they got all those bricks way out there back when all they had was wooden ships. I still have not heard a good answer to that question?

@calukimbo9994 Жыл бұрын

Great snorkeling

@kenweller2032 Жыл бұрын

At 8:46 I managed to cross my eyes and focus to get a nice stereoscopic image 😃

@vonbennett8670 Жыл бұрын

That place has 'zombie apocalypse' written all over it.

@Cnoted33 Жыл бұрын

Would make a great resort

@grumpus5248 10 ай бұрын

The place is beautiful even when storms are rolling through. I got hundreds of great pictures camping there a few years ago. Better come prepared, though.

@brendakrieger7000 Жыл бұрын

Cool😎

@christophvest Жыл бұрын

is it for sale?

@coralgwyn-williams9933 Жыл бұрын

I love the fort and loved snorkeling there. Not sure of your choice of pictures for this video though. Sunset Key (Tank Is.) is right next to Key West and has nothing to do with Fort Jefferson, Marion Cty. Florida is landlocked in the northern central part of the state.

@writerconsidered Жыл бұрын

You only said it was once but I think you fully underestimated its importance. There was no fresh water supply. That had to be a killer. Yea sure they imported water in but the water would age badly and in constant ration mode. I have to believe that would be a major hindrance in the construction. Not to mention the overall stupidity of building a permanent structure without a water supply. What if they get cut off from supply lines?

@patrickmccrann991 Жыл бұрын

Fort Jefferson is a National Historic Monument managed by the National Park Service. Not abandoned at all.

@glennroberts3069 Жыл бұрын

I’m a Floridian. This is BS. Ft Jeff is not forgotten it’s a National Park with Park Rangers that keep it up.

@mpetra4537 9 ай бұрын

Always wondered how the 16 million bricks, mortar and building supplies got to the location with such shallow water, storms and hurricanes.......plus food, water and shelter for the people who built it.......