Fort Pickens, Military fort in Pensacola Bay, United States
Fort Pickens is a military installation on Santa Rosa Island in Escambia County with a pentagonal layout and massive brick walls along the shoreline. The western sections face directly toward Pensacola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, while multiple gun platforms show its strategic importance.
Construction started in 1829 under Colonel William Chase and required roughly 21.5 million bricks to complete the coastal defense installation. Apache warriors led by Geronimo were held here between 1886 and 1887 during tensions between the federal government and Native American nations.
The name honors General Andrew Pickens from the American Revolutionary War, carrying military tradition into its identity. Visitors today walk through thick brick corridors and casemates that once sheltered soldiers from enemy fire.
Guided tours explain how military installations worked and point out gun emplacements and defense systems along the coast. Firm ground allows visitors with limited mobility to reach many areas within the walls.
The installation ranks among the largest brick fortifications on the Gulf of Mexico and reflects coastal defense concepts from the 1830s. Its position allowed control over key shipping routes into Pensacola Bay.
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