Description
Fort Jefferson was initially established as a Historic Monument by FDR in 1935. It later became a National Park to protect not only the fort but also 10 other keys in the area and much of the surrounding waters. Today, only seven keys remain, with the other four being reclaimed by Mother Nature. The fort itself sits on Garden Key and was originally established to protect the highly lucrative trading route that ran through the Keys and up the East Coast. Fort Jefferson was a marvel of “modern construction” when it was built in the mid-1800s, comprising over 16 million bricks, all brought in on small wooden sailboats.
This image was taken from the easternmost bastion of Fort Jefferson. Originally home to some of the most advanced large guns of its time, the roof of the bastions and the casemates now provide access to the incredible views seen in this image. Taken at sunrise, this image captures the beauty of both Bush Key and Long Key. The sun’s early rays reflecting off the perfect crystal blue waters are absolutely breathtaking. The sun is just beginning to peek through the breaking storm clouds as the rains that had poured through the night finally cleared. Bush Key (in the foreground) had only recently reopened to the public as it spends nine months of the year off-limits to protect nesting birds and the nesting grounds of four different species of sea turtles. Long Key (seen in the distance) is closed to the public throughout the entire year to protect the nesting grounds of the Magnificent Frigatebird.
There are no reviews yet.