Fabulous fortresses: history lessons capture everyone's interest in these outposts of westward expansion and citadels of coastal defense

Travel America, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Darlene P. Copp

America's forts commanded coastlines, faced frontiers, or marked trail's end, providing defenses, security, and a setting for commerce. Often they were simply a sight for sore eyes. Now they possess an aura of romance and danger, intrigue and mystery for the children who love to explore their bastions and casemates and for the history buffs who relish all the details of their heyday.

Rescued from the ravages of time or rediscovered by archaeologists, they remain today in ruins or have been reconstructed. Even when only ruins witness to its place in history, a fort's isolated setting or stories about its long-ago occupants can stimulate our imaginations.

While the frontier forts that protected westward-bound wagon trains may be the most familiar, America's gallery of fortification architecture also includes colonial masterpieces, trading posts for a once-thriving fur business, and masonry edifices for coastal defense. Regardless of the fort's period and purpose, you are likely to find a museum full of artifacts and displays, plus you can take a guided or self-guiding tour to learn about its construction and uses. Staff often don period clothing to enhance their interpretive talks or to demonstrate skills of yore. Volunteers may get into the act by recreating past events during living history weekends.

Of particular note are the 30-plus forts built after the War of 1812 to provide a "Third System" of protection for seaports along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Starting with the rifled cannon introduced during the Civil War, modern weaponry rendered these picturesque brick-and-stone forts obsolete. Fortunately, however, nearly all have survived to this day and are open to the public, including Florida's Fort Jefferson and Fort Pickens, Alabama's Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan, Mississippi's Fort Massachusetts, and Louisiana's Fort Pike.

Solid Strongholds

Soldiers and settlers, tribes and trappers, explorers and entrepreneurs, adventurers and artists--all found their way to forts designed to protect American interests. Human stories reflect the purposes these fortifications served in the advance of American history. Following are just some of the forts you can tour:

CALIFORNIA

Fort Point National Historic Site, Long Avenue and Marine Drive, Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129; (415) 556-1693; www.nps.gov/fopo. The only "Third System" fort on the West Coast stands intact beneath the south anchorage of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was the base of operations for the building of the bridge and a backdrop for many Hollywood movies. You can take a staff- or self-guided tour.

COLORADO

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, 35110 Hwy. 194E, La Junta, CO 81050; (719) 383-5010; www.nps.gov/beol. This reconstructed adobe trading post bustled as a commercial center on the Santa Fe Trail between 1833-1849. Its furnishings made it the "Castle of the Plains." Costumed interpreters conduct hourly tours, summers only, and sell reproduction blankets, hats, bottles, crocks, tinware, and other items.

FLORIDA

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, 1 S. Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084; (904) 829-6506; www.nps.gov/casa. Designed to fend off pirates, the Castillo survives as the only intact 17th century fort in the continental U.S. and the largest of only two forts anywhere built with coquina stone. A self-guiding tour and ranger programs uncover the fort's history.

GEORGIA

Fort Pulaski National Monument, Highway 80 East, Savannah, GA 31410; (912) 786-5787; www.nps.gov/fopu. Surrounded by a moat, this stunning fortress took 18 years to complete, beginning in 1829. Considered invincible, its 7.5-foot-thick walls were breached by rifled artillery in 1862. Besides a self-guiding tour of the fort, you can enjoy the park's scenic coastal marshlands.

KANSAS

Fort Larned National Historic Site, Route 3, Larned, KS 67550; (620) 285-6911; www.nps.gov/fols. With nine restored buildings, Fort Lamed is one of the best surviving outposts from the Indian Wars era. It functioned both as a guardian of the Santa Fe Trail and as an Indian Bureau Agency. Summers feature weekend demonstrations of fort life with special events on holidays.

MARYLAND

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, East Fort Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21230; (410) 962-4290; www.nps.gov/fomc. The garrison of this star-shaped fort (built 1799-1802) repelled an intense British attack in September, 1814. Commander Armistead wanted the post's flag "large enough that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it," resulting in the inspired composition of our national anthem. Self-guiding tours are enhanced by a twice-daily flag changing.

MICHIGAN

Fort Mackinac, Mackinac State Historic Parks, Mackinac Island, MI 49757; (906) 847-3328 summer; www.mackinacparks. com. The 14 structures in this military outpost, begun by the British in 1780, are staffed by costumed interpreters. The May 10-October 10 season includes daily cannon firings. A sister fort, Colonial Michilimackinac, is near the Mackinac Bridge in Mackinaw City. On the site of a 1715 French fort and fur-trading village are 18 reconstructed buildings and an underground archaeological exhibit.