Dry Tortugas National Park
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Location: Florida Keys, Monroe, Florida, United States
Surnames/tags: United_States_National_Parks Florida Keys Florida United States Cemeteries Military_Fort
Dry Tortugas National Park
AKA: Fort Jefferson National Monument, Dry Tortugas, Devil's Island
100 square mile area made up of seven islands and crystal ocean waters. It is about 70 miles west of Key West, Monroe, Florida. It is accessed by Dry Tortugas ferry, seaplane or private boat.[1][2][3][4]
- Acreage: 47,125 acres
- Elevation: 10 ft
- Annual precipitation: approximately 36.41 inches over 87.8 days per year on average
- More than 80,000 visitors a year
Photos can be seen at: Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson Photos
- Ranger-led programs
- Diving
- Snorkeling
- Canoe
- Kayak
- Camping
- Fishing
- Diverse Marine life
Species of sea turtles in the area (all endangered or threatened)[5]:
- loggerhead
- green turtle
- leatherback
- Kemp's ridley
- hawksbill
- 125 species of plants (81 of these are of exotic origin)
- Mangrove forests
- seagrass (underwater)
- coral communities (underwater)
- Beauty
- Solitude
- History
- Historic Fort Jefferson
History
1513:
Discovered by Ponce de León and named Las Tortugas due to large numbers of sea turtles , 14 seals and more than 5,000 birds in the area. It has been discovered that while he was there, Ponce de León caught about 160 different sea turtles.[2][3][4][6]
"Dry" was later added to inform others that the resources on the island were not great, as there was no fresh water.[2][3][3]
The shipping lanes in the Gulf of Mexico passed fairly close to the islands. Those who owned the islands was in control over these lanes between them and the United States mainland.[2]
1622
A fleet of Spanish Treasure Galleons left Havana. They were headed for Spain. During the voyage, they were hit by a hurricane. Three of the galleons and other ships were destroyed.[4][6]
These ships include:
- Nuestra Senora de Atocha
- Santa Margarita
- Nuestra Senora de Rosario
Lost were a cargo of gold, silver and emeralds, as well as the lives of 500 sailors and passengers. The Spanish recovered most of their treasure but one ship, the Aocha, remained lost. This was however only one of the over 250 documented shipwrecks in the area, from around the globe.[4]
1691
A Spanish relief ship that was traveling through the area wrecked and sank.[6]
1765
The Granville Packett became yet another ship to wreck and sink in the area.[6]
1775
Another ship that attempted to pass through the area but did not make it was the Santísima Concepción.[6]
1806
The Maria was added to the list of unfortunate ships that could not make it through the Dry Tortugas.[6]
1816
While trying to navigate through the Dry Tortugas, the Sir John Sherbroke joined the growing list of wrecked and sunken ships.[6]
1821
Ownership of the Dry Tortugas changed to the United States from Spain. Since they had already annexed Florida, they started to add essentials to the islands such as lighthouses and a fort.[6]
1825
Garden Key was the location of the first lighthouse.
1846
Orders were sent to build Fort Jefferson. It was named after President Thomas Jefferson. Over 1500 troops were garrisoned there. Luckily, they did not ever end up defending the islands in battle.[2][5][3]
1857
A lighthouse was constructed due to many ships approaching the island. It was named Loggerhead Lighthouse.[4]
1861 - 1865
Great fame came to the Fort, as the United States Civil War raged. War prisoners, Union deserters and others that were very undesirable, were held at this prison location. One of these undesirables was Dr. Samuel Mudd. He was there for complicity in Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Also sent to the prison were Edmund Spangler, Michael O'Loughlin and Samuel B Arnold. They were also jailed for the assassination conspiracy. This time brought the new nick name "Devils' Island".[2][3][4][6]
1867
Yellow fever outbreak killing 38 people.[3][4]
8 Feb 1869
Dr Mudd had tried to escape but was not successful. During the yellow fever epidemic, he showed heroic action and leadership. This fact made it so that, on this day, he was actually released from the prison early. This pardon was signed by President Andrew Johnson, in front of Dr Mudd's wife.[4][6]
1873
Hurricane hits the islands hard.[3]
1874
Fort Jefferson was abandoned by the United States Military. This gave way for pirates and squatters to make use of the area.[2][3]
1886
Reopened for quarantining people who were victims of small pox and cholera.[3]
1898
Attempting to sail to Havana, the USS Maine weighed anchor in the islands. It was blown up and sank to the bottom of the Havana harbor. Out of 355 men on board, 260 were killed. The United States declared war, the Spanish-American War, because they blamed Spain for the ship sinking. The fort was used as a military hospital and supply base for American forces during the war.[2][4]
1904 - 1939
The Carnegie Research Institute built and operated a research laboratory named the Tortugas Laboratory.[4]
About 1908
Area was designated as a nature reserve and breeding ground for the birds.[2]
Nearly 300 species of birds can be seen here. Most of these are migratory.[5]
1914 - 1918 During World War One, the area was used as a seaplane base and wireless radio station.[4]
1935 President Franklin D Roosevelt declared the islands a national monument. under the Antiquities Act.[3]
1939 - 1945 Torpedo boats, minesweepers, and convoy escort vessels needed a place to protect against the submarines coming from Germany, during WWII. This area was chosen for its harbor.[4]
About 1968
The islands were renamed as Fort Jefferson National Monument.[2]
1983
The Aocha was finally recovered by Mel Fisher, a treasure hunter. With the main pile being discovered by him in 1985. It was the largest underwater treasure find in history. He had been hunting treasure since 1963 when he began a stretch of 7 years of successfully salvaging Florida's Treasure Coast from a 1715 fleet. In December of 1992 he opened a permanent museum in Sebastian, Florida.[4]
1992
The name was again changed, this time by George H W Bush. It was re-designated from Fort Jefferson National Monument to Dry Tortugas National Park.[2][3]
13 Oct 2022
Hurricane Ian forced temporary closures.
3 Apr 2023:
Moat partially closed- snorkeling not allowed in sections due to hurricane damage to the area involving Fort Jefferson. Hundreds of corals from seven species will be relocated and preserved so the moat can be shown care. Wading and sunbathing will continue to be allowed.[7]
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 America's National Parks: https://shop.americasnationalparks.org
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Ellie's Travel Tips: https://www.elliestraveltips.com/weekend-getaways-in-florida-dry-tortugas
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Keys, lonely planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/florida/florida-keys/attractions/dry-tortugas-national-park/a/poi-sig/453201/1326821
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 12 Amazing Facts About Dry Tortugas National Park (Facts + Trivia): https://morethanjustparks.com/dry-tortugas-national-park-facts/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Rallying for the protection and preservation of one of our country's most remote national parks, we know that some of the greatest natural resources are the hardest - but most necessary - to reach: https://floridanationalparks.org/dry-tortugas-national-park-2/
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida: Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary, American Latino Heritage: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, nps.gov: https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/american_latino_heritage/fort_jefferson.html
- ↑ National Parks Traveler: Compiled From NPS Releases "Sections Of Dry Tortugas National Park Moat Temporarily Closed To Snorkeling", 4 Apr 2023, https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2023/04/sections-dry-tortugas-national-park-moat-temporarily-closed-snorkeling
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Tortugas_National_Park
- https://www.viator.com/tours/Key-West/Dry-Tortugas-National-Park-Day-Trip-by-Catamaran/d661-17325KEYYAN
Space:Fort_Jefferson Space:Fort_Jefferson_Post_Cemetery Space:Fort_Jefferson_Quarantine_Hospital
- Categorization of Dry Tortugas National Park May 4, 2023.
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