As we settle in to our new routine here in Florida we have decided that weekly field trips will be added to Dylan's home school routine. Our first official field trip was to Fort Pickens, a historic fort on the the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Construction began on the fort in 1828 and it remained in operation until 1947 to protect the mouth of Pensacola. Fort Pickens was one of 4 forts built in the area at that time, all within a few miles of each other. Although the fort did not see much action it was heavily involved in the Civil War. The fort is open to public exploration through a self guided, online tour explaining life in this fort when it was active. We were fortunate enough to be there during one of the canon demonstrations. At one time this fort had over 200 active canons used for protection. The ranger let us know that 70% of the fort is untouched while about 30% has been restored.
One of the lovely things about this area is that not only is this a fantastic old fort with hours of exploration through old tunnels and passages, but it is also a National Seashore with miles of gorgeous sandy shores for play. Although we did not have time to play on the beaches while we were there, we did come back the next week to explore the beaches. With a campground that offers overnight accommodations this park offers family friendly activities for an entire weekend.
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April 2019
AuthorCarolyn and Will Bollwerk share their adventures with their 5 year-old daughter, Dylan. |