Fort Barrancas facts for kids
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Fort San Carlos De Barrancas
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Aerial view of Fort Barrancas. The water battery is the white section.
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| Location | Warrington, Florida, U.S. |
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| Nearest city | Pensacola |
| Built | 1787 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000263 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
Fort Barrancas is a historic military fort in Pensacola, Florida. It's located inside the Naval Air Station Pensacola. The fort sits on a hill and has a special water battery down by the bay.
The fort you see today was built mostly between 1839 and 1844. It expanded on an older Spanish fort from the late 1700s. That older fort was called Fort San Carlos de Barrancas. The water battery is still sometimes called "Fort San Carlos."
After World War II, the U.S. Army stopped using Fort Barrancas in 1947. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. Later, in 1971, the National Park Service took over the fort. After a lot of restoration work, Fort Barrancas opened to the public in 1980.
Contents
The Fort's Long History
Building the First Forts
The Spanish first built a fort here in 1698. They called it Fort San Carlos de Austria. In 1707, Native American groups tried to capture it but didn't succeed. Then, in 1719, French forces took over Pensacola and destroyed the Spanish fort.
In 1763, after winning the Seven Years' War, Britain took control of West Florida. The British built their own fort here. They called it the Royal Navy Redoubt.
Later, during the American Revolutionary War, Spain joined the fight against Britain in 1779. Spain captured Pensacola in 1781. After the war, Spain got West Florida back. They finished building Fort San Carlos de Barrancas in 1797. The word Barranca means "bluff" in Spanish. This describes the high ground where the fort was built.
Early Battles for U.S. Control
During the War of 1812, the fort saw action. American forces led by General Andrew Jackson fought against British, Spanish, and Creek nation allies. The Americans won the Battle of Pensacola (1814).
In 1818, General Jackson's American forces again fought the Spanish here. After a few days of cannon fire, the Spanish surrendered the fort. Pensacola then came under American control.
The United States bought Florida from Spain in 1821. Pensacola was chosen for a big Navy Yard. To protect it, the U.S. planned more forts. Fort Pickens was built in 1834, and Fort McRee in 1839.
From 1839 to 1844, Fort Barrancas was rebuilt and made much stronger. It was designed to defend against ships and land attacks. An Advanced Redoubt was built north of the fort. A trench connected them to protect the Navy Yard.
Joseph Gilbert Totten designed the expanded Fort Barrancas. Major William Henry Chase oversaw the building. Most of the construction work was done by enslaved African-American workers.
Fort Barrancas During the Civil War
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The American Civil War officially began in April 1861. But on January 8, 1861, there was an early conflict at Fort Barrancas. U.S. Army soldiers fired on Florida state troops who demanded the fort's surrender.
Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer was in charge. He knew Fort Pickens was easier to defend. So, he disabled the guns at Barrancas. Then, he moved his soldiers and supplies across the bay to Fort Pickens. The Union Army held Fort Pickens throughout the war.
Confederate soldiers from Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi took over Fort Barrancas. General Braxton Bragg commanded Confederate Pensacola. He added more sand batteries along the coast.
On October 9, 1861, Confederate troops tried to attack Fort Pickens but were stopped. Fort McRee and Fort Barrancas exchanged heavy cannon fire with Fort Pickens in November 1861 and January 1862. However, in May 1862, Confederate troops left Pensacola. This happened after the Union Army captured New Orleans.
After the Wars
New weapons like rifled cannons and ironclad ships made old masonry forts less useful. Fort Barrancas was used by the Army as a signal station and storage area until 1946. New technology from World War II made these forts completely outdated.
Fort Barrancas was officially closed on April 15, 1947. The U.S. Navy then included the site in Naval Air Station Pensacola.
In 1971, Congress created the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Fort Barrancas became part of this new national park. After a big restoration project costing $1.2 million, Fort Barrancas opened to the public in 1980.
Today, Fort Barrancas and the nearby Advanced Redoubt are managed by the National Park Service. They are still on Naval Air Station Pensacola. Visitors need permission to enter the base to reach the fort.
Timeline of Fort Barrancas
The name of Fort Barrancas and its site has changed many times. This depended on which country controlled the area:
- 1559–1561: The Spanish first settled nearby.
- 1698: The Spanish built Fort San Carlos de Austria on the hilltop.
- 1719: French forces destroyed Fort San Carlos de Austria.
- 1763: Under British rule, the Royal Navy Redoubt was built. It was made of earth and logs.
- 1787: Under Spanish rule, the Bateria de San Antonio was built. This was a masonry battery at sea level.
- 1787–1797: The Spanish added Fort San Carlos de Barrancas on the hill. It was made of wood and earth.
- 1814: The British destroyed Fort San Carlos de Barrancas. This happened as Andrew Jackson's American forces approached during the War of 1812.
- 1817: The Spanish rebuilt San Carlos de Barrancas.
- 1839–1844: Under U.S. rule, the wooden fort was replaced. A huge brick fortress was built. It connected to the water battery by a tunnel. The whole site became Fort Barrancas.
- 1845–1869: The Advanced Redoubt was built north of the fort.
- 1861: Union forces left Fort Barrancas and defended Fort Pickens. Confederates took over Barrancas. Fort Pickens bombarded Barrancas heavily in November and January.
- 1862: Confederate troops left Fort Barrancas and Pensacola in May. This was after New Orleans fell to Union forces.
- 1870: The Pensacola and Fort Barrancas Railroad was built. It connected Pensacola to the fort.
- 1941–1947: The U.S. Army used Fort Barrancas as a signal station. It was closed in 1947.
- 1960: On October 9, Fort San Carlos de Barrancas was named a National Historic Landmark.
- 1966: The Fort Barrancas Historical District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1971: Fort Barrancas became part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The U.S. National Park Service manages it.
- 1978–1980: Fort Barrancas was restored. It opened to the public as a National Historic Landmark.
- 1989: Fort Barrancas was listed in a guide to Florida's historic buildings.
Visiting the Fort
Fort Barrancas has a visitor center for the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The center has exhibits that explain the fort's history. Visitors can explore the restored fort and its water battery. Tours of the advanced redoubt are also available.
Remember, the fort is on Naval Air Station Pensacola. You need permission at the security checkpoint to enter the base and reach the fort.
See also
In Spanish: Fuerte Barrancas para niños
