Fort Zachary Taylor located at the end of Southard Street in Key West, is the southernmost state park in the continental United States. Its original mission was certainly not as a peaceful park, however. The original outpost at that location was established by the U.S. Navy in 1822 to rid the area of pirates!
The actual fort was built in 1845 by the U.S. Army and its purpose was to protect the Key West harbor. When the Civil War broke out, Federal troops were living in the Key West Barracks so they moved into Fort Taylor. The fort stayed in Union hands for the duration of the war. Fort Taylor continued to be an active military base during the Spanish-American War, when it was used as a coast artillery installation and both World Wars when it was used as a training facility. Its status as an active military base ended in 1947 when it was turned over to the U.S. Navy to be used for storage.
Fort Zachary Taylor was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and the State of Florida obtained ownership of the fort in 1976. It was officially opened as a state park in 1985. In the late 1960’s, Howard England, a resident of Key West, discovered many Civil War artifacts during his excavations at the fort. He also discovered a rare desalination plant. The Friends of Fort Taylor provide an insiders’ look at the fort on their website.
When Fort Zachary Taylor was constructed, it was located 1200 feet off the Key West shoreline. In the 1960’s however, the water around the fort was filled in with soil from dredging projects and the fort became surrounded by land. Today, the fort once again is surrounded by water because of a moat that was built to give an attractive divide between the fort, the surrounding land, and the beach.
Pirates, ship wrecks, and battles at sea have all been part of Key West’s colorful history. Key West was the wealthiest city in Florida in the 1890’s and one of the most lucrative businesses was the salvaging of wrecked ships. Part of this history is relived during the Pirate Fest held at Fort Taylor every December.
A colorful history full of legends of pirates and ship wrecks adds to the uniqueness of Key West. Certainly this paradise is more peaceful today, but the spirit of the past is part of the fun and culture of a great place to call home! Ready to make Key West part of your history? Give me a call. Jimmy Lane: 305-766-0585.