Visit Florida - Worth the Drive 2008 - (Page 26) 26 WWW.AAA.COM/ VISITFLORIDA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fort Clinch’s occupation by Northern troops during the Civil War gave the Union control of much of the Florida and Georgia coasts. It is this period in the fort’s history that is most touted at the park. Re-enactors dressed as Union troops give guided tours of the site. When the tour is over, the 1,086-acre Fort Clinch State Park itself awaits exploration. Dive into the blue Atlantic, fish, hike a trail or go birding. Day 2: Jacksonville On this trip, you’ll see forts of significance to the British and Spanish as they tried to colonize Florida. In Jacksonville, about 45 minutes from Fernandina Beach, Fort Caroline (904-641-7155, www.nps.gov/foca) stands as a reminder that another group of people once laid claim to this land: the Fort Clinch French. Founded by a is considered group of Huguenots to be one of the in 1564, Fort Caroline was the first permanent best-preserved French colony in North 19th-century forts America. The original in the nation. fort was destroyed in 1568 during a conflict between the French >>> Re-enactment at Fort Clinch Less than a mile from quietly bustling Centre Street on Fernandina Beach sits historic Fort Clinch State Park (904-277-7274, www.floridastateparks.org/fortclinch). Since the early 1700s, troops have guarded this site, positioned at the entrance to the St. Marys River and Cumberland Sound. Construction of the fort began in 1847. Though it never saw battle, it was garrisoned during both the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. Today, it’s considered to be one of the best-preserved 19th-century forts in the nation. PROTECTING PENSACOLA In Pensacola, Fort Barrancas boasts reconstructions of 1700s British and Spanish fortifications. Nearby, 1829-built Fort Pickens once defended the Pensacola Bay navy yard. Both are accessible via Gulf Islands National Seashore. http://WWW.AAA.COM/VISITFLORIDA http://www.nps.gov/foca http://www.floridastateparks.org/fortclinch
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.