Fort Pickens (Fort Pickens State Park) U.S

FORT PICKENS (FORT PICKENS STATE PARK) U.S. 98, 21A, west of Pensacola Beach Escambia County

Old brick Fort Pickens, built on the Santa Rosa Island to defend the important deepwater Pensacola against foreign attack, has been the scene activities in every maj.or conflict in which this country has been engaged, from the Civil War to World War II.

Its major role was during the Civil War, when it remained one of three Southern forts (all in Florida) that the Confederates were unable to seize from the Federals.

Santa Rosa Island has been the location of may forti fications since the early 1700 's. It was recognized by the Spanish, French, British, Confederates, and the United States Army and Navy as the key to the defense of Pensacola Harbor.

Pensacola was the capital of West Florida when the Florida territory was ceded to the United States in 1821. In anticipation of the selection of Pensacola as the principal United States naval depot of the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. government bu:LLt four forts in the area. Fort Pickens, com pleted in 1834, was named in honor of Brig. Gen. Andrew Pickens of the South Carolina State Troops in the American Revolution.

At the onset of the Civil War, the fort had been unoc cupied for several years. The day Florida passed her ordinance of secession, Jan. 10, 1861, the fort became the Federal head quarters. Confederates made several attempts to capture Fort Pickens, but all hostilities were stopped when they evacuated their holdings in the area in May of 1862. The Federals immed iately took possession of the other deserted forts and the Navy Yard, and held Pensacola for the rest of the war.

As the war waned, Fort Pickens was used as a prison for military and political prisoners. In 1875, Congress again used Fort Pickens as a prison with the Apache, Geronimo, and some of his band being held there for two years after their capture in 1866.

Fort Pickens was an active coastal defense fortifi cation during the Spanish-American War, and also was activated

during the two World Wars. I hereby certify that thi. property i, included in the National Register. ATTEST:

Chief, Office of Archeology m^Ml^)ric Preservation

Date 4U6 l Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE: (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Florida COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Escambia INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY

ENTRY NUMBER (Type all entries — complete applicable sections) MAY 3 1 1972

COMMON: Fort Pickens AND/OR HISTORIC:

STREET AND NUMBER: State Road 399A west of Pensacola Beach CITY OR TOWN: Santa Rosa Island CODE COUNTY: Florida 12 Escambia 033

CATEGORY ACCESSIBLE OWNERSHIP STATUS (Check One) TO THE PUBLIC

D District Q Building Public Public Acquisition: Q Occupied Yes: S Restricted D Site IS Structure Private [~| In Process 52 Unoccupied Q Unrestricted D Object Both [~~| Being Considered I I Preservation work in progress D No

PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate)

I I Entertainment [| Museum I | Scientific

NAME: Division of Recreation and Parks Department of Natural Resources o 5 STREET AND NUMBER: H m Larson Building Cl TY OR TOWN: STATE: Tallahassee Florida 12

COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: M n Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund s ° Q z STREET AND NUMBER: Elliott Building (Check One) llent D Good Fair Deteriorated Ruin Unexposed CONDITION (Check One) (Check One) Altered SJ Unaltered Moved SJ Original Site

DESCRI BE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL ("if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Fort Pickens, named in honor of Brig. Gen. Andrew Piokens, was completed in 1834^ The .fort__was pentagDJial_Jji_shape, with a bastion at each of the five corners. Each bastion was like a small Independient:.. fort, having its own guns and magazine. These bastions projected from the regular line of the fort walls so that they could set up cross fire with the facing bastion and prevent an enemy from attacking the fort walls. The walls of Fort Pickens were 4^) feet high and twelve feet thick. The fort was complete with protected passageways, a dry ditch, flanking outworks, and portholes for one tier of guns in bomb-proof casements with an additional tier of guns mounted orT top of the walls (en barbette.) The armament of the fort was to consist of 252 guns of various types and calibers. m Present-day Fort Pickens looks much as it did in its rn early days. Recreational facilities for public use and enjoyment have been added by the Division of Recreation and Parks. A large picnic and swimming area, along with a fishing dock and boat launching ramp comprise the total park area.

n H

M P.ERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate)

| | Pre-Columbian! Q 16th Century 18th Century G 20th Century

G 15th Century D 17th Century 19th Century

SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known)

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate)

Abor jginal G Education Q Political I| Urban Planning

I | Prehistoric G Engineering Q Religion/Phi- G Other (Specify.)

G Historic G Industry losophy

| 1 Agriculture G Invention G Science

| | Architecture G Landscape Q Sculpture

D Art Architecture Q Socia l/Human-

[ 1 Commerce D Literature itarian | | Communications S Military Q Theater | | Conservation Music G Transportation

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Fort Pickens, built on the western tip of Santa Rosa Island to clefend the important deepwater harbor of Pensacola against foreign attack, has-been the scene of activities in every major; conflict_ in,, which this country has been engaged, from the Civil War to World War II. This terrain was recog nized by the Spanish, French, British and the United States as the key to the defense of Pensacola Harbor. Fort Pickens was one of the few in the south from which the United Stateg flag was never brought down during the Civil War. Although under intermittent cannon fire from its compan ion forts—McRee and Barrancas, both of which were in Confed erate hands—Fort Pickens thwarted a Confederate land assault before the attackers ever approached the walls of the fort. At the onset of the Civil War, the fort had been unoc LU cupied for several years. The day Florida passed her ordinance of secession, January 10, 1861, the fort became the Federal LJ headquarters. Confederates attempted several times to capture GO Fort Pickens1, but all hostilities were stopped when they evacuated their holdings in this area in May, 1862. The "Federals immediately took possession of the Navy Yard and other deserted forts, and held Pensacola for the rest of the war.

As the_Civil War waned. Fort Pickens was used as a prison for military and political prisoners. Notable among prisoners held at the fort, is the Apache, Geronimo, who along with some of his band was held for two years after being captured in 18(56. v /v0 / •-'s ••'..—J./*•'--,- /x.' ->,v

t* Armstrong, H. Clay. History of Escarabia County, Florida. St. Augustine: Record Company, 1930. Bears, Edwin C. "Civil War Operations in and Around Pensacc Dla," Florida Historical Quarterly. XXXVI (July, 1957 - April 1958), 125-165; XXXIX (July, 1960 - April, 1961), 231-2!55, 330-353.

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY 1 3 DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY _ OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES —————————. ————————————————————————— ———————————————————————— | CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 30 ° 19' 5i' 87 ° 17 ' i'J •" NE 30 ° 19' & " 87 ° 16- ' Of " SE 30 ° 19' M." 87 ° 15 ' -^ " -A ——. ——— ._-"'' APPROXIMATE ACREAGE " gV""' " "' ' ' • •' '" ° °nP F>^T^>-c=^?[ft^^^'^Fi r1 TP 7! X' A // X* r. ^ i •-

ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAt-PING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES

STATE: CODE COUNTY ^^______^_^ CODE m m CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: /&//^'^S'^ fffcovff) r*, ^x^ ~'v x A^v STATE: CODE COUNTY: /£v MAY 3 1Q71 P\ CODE -H '*" ' iro' en STATE: CODE COUNTY: !*£! NAT/ON/* / & CODE Y\ REGI^L /C/

NAME AND TITLE: \/ /^>-y___— r-f 'XN "•'' Randy F. Nimnicht, Historic Preservationist"^— = -l-^~' O ORGANIZATION DATE Division of Archives, History and Records Mgt. 3/10/71 STREET AND NUMBER: Department of State, The Capitol CITY OR TOWN: STATE CODE Tallahassee ...Florida ,„ „„, , „„,„„ 12. jliiiit<tPliisiifiil*^

As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na I hereby certify that this property is included in the tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion National Register. in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. The recommended Chief, Office of Archeology andjkfrmoric Preservation level of significance of this nomination is: National Off'/ state D Local Q

Date ^/3 / / / V ,—' / ATTEST: s Title State Liaison Officer ^ "Keeper" of Thefrftafional Regi^fer \ » ap-j^ «7i Date

GP 0 9 0 t .0 8 500 000 FEET

San Carlos Beach

3Light

AGO 3356

20'

3355 $fa\ - :'^

* . ^TJxXv ' .^Si^^'^ft^V;1.^.-..®^^: ^^^^f^^^fe:^ ".- " ^^N^^rSv^i^^l: ;X^^ V" > At- a ' " • : •.'>-!••' ..' £:0* $ N 30* H'M" I STATE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Florida COUNTY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Escambia PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NFS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) 31 COMMON: Fort Pickens

AND/OR HISTORIC:

STREET AND NUMBER: State Road 399A west of Pensacola Beach CITY OR TOWN: Santa Rosa Island Florida 12 Escambia 033 •HOTO CREDIT: Florida News Bureau, Department of

DATE OF PHOTO: 1970

NEGATIVE FILED AT: Department of Commerce, Collins Building. Talla

DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION. ETC. Aerial view looking northwest shows Ft. Pickens foreground overlooking the entrance to Pensacola