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| Location: 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. |
| Description: Dry Tortugas National Park consists of 7 islands and the surrounding area of the gulf. The largest island is Garden Key which is the site of Fort Jefferson. U.S. military attention was drawn to the keys in the early 1800's due to their strategic location in the Florida Straits. Plans were made for a massive fortress and construction began in 1846, but the fort was never completed. The invention of the rifled cannon made it obsolete. As the military value of Fort Jefferson waned, its pristine reefs, abundant sea life and impressive numbers of birds grew in value. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt set aside Fort Jefferson and the surrounding waters as a national monument. The area was redesignated as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992 to protect both the historical and natural features. |
| Personal Notes: I have just returned from my first trip to Dry Tortugas National Park. I spent two nights camping on the island and exploring the fort and photographing the abundant bird life. |
| Dry Tortugas National Park |
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© 2001-2008 Matthew Paulson