Dry Tortugas National Park Almost 70 miles (112.9 km) west of Key West lies a cluster of seven islands, composed of coral reefs and sand, called the Dry Tortugas. Along with the surrounding shoals and waters, they make up Dry Tortugas National Park. The area is known for its famous bird and marine life, and its legends of pirates and sunken gold. Ft. Jefferson, the largest of the 19th century American coastal forts is a central feature.
The Tortugas were first discoverd by Ponce de Leon in 1513. Abundant sea turtles or "tortugas" provisioned his ships with fresh meat, but there was no fresh water-the tortugas were dry. Since the days of Spanish exploration,the reefs and shoals of the Dry Tortugas have been a serious hazard to navigation and the site of hundreds of shipwrecks.
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.
Egmont Key NWR The island is approximately 350 acres in size and was established to provide nesting, feeding and resting habitat for brown pelicans and other migratory birds. Additional refuge objectives are to preserve and protect barrier island habitat and historical structures of national significance. Egmont Key had a colorful military/historical past. Ft. Dade was built in 1882 with temporary gun batteries to protect Tampa at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. The Spanish fleet never came, but over 70 buildings were built between 1899 and 1916 and a small town with 300 residents existed. Today, the combined resources of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida State Park Service provides better protection for Egmont Key and its wildlife and a more enjoyable experience for the visitor.
Everglades National Park Spanning the southern tip of the Florida peninsula and most of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park is the only subtropical preserve in North America. It contains both temperate and tropical plant communities, including sawgrass prairies, mangrove and cypress swamps, pinelands, and hardwood hammocks, as well as marine and estuarine environments. The park is known for its rich bird life, particularly large wading birds, such as the roseate spoonbill, wood stork, great blue heron and a variety of egrets. It is also the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist side by side.
Everglades National Park has been designated a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary supports one of the most diverse assemblages of underwater plants and animals in North America. Although bestknown for is coral reefs, the shallow nearshore waters contain interconnecting and interdependent marine habitats that include fringing mangroves, seagrass meadows, hardbottom regions, patch reefs, and ban reefs. This complex marine ecosystem is the foundation for the tourism and commercial fishing based economies that are so important to Florida.Visitors to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary can enjoy camping, diving, snorkeling and kayaking.
Fort Caroline National Memorial Fort Caroline National Memorial was created to memorialize the Sixteenth Century French effort to establish a permanent colony in Florida. After initial exploration in 1562, the French established "la Caroline" in June 1564. Spanish forces arrived 15 months later. Marching north from their newly established beachhead (San Augustin) they captured la Caroline in September, 1565. Nothing remains of the original Fort de la Caroline; a near full-scale rendering of the fort, together with exhibits in the visitor center, provide information on the history of the French colony, their interaction with the native Timucua, and the colonists' brief struggle for survival.
