Fort Denaud, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fort Denaud, Florida
Census-designated place
Fort Denaud Cemetery
Fort Denaud, Florida Location in Florida Show map of Florida Fort Denaud, Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Hendry
Area
• Total	20.76 sq mi (53.78 km2)
• Land	20.05 sq mi (51.94 km2)
• Water	0.71 sq mi (1.84 km2)
Elevation	14 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,049
• Density	102.18/sq mi (39.45/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	33935
Area code	863
FIPS code	12-23730
GNIS feature ID	2583343

Fort Denaud is a special kind of community in Hendry County, Florida, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the government counts as a community for population statistics, even though it's not officially a city or town. In 2020, about 2,049 people lived there. This was more than the 1,694 people counted in 2010. Fort Denaud is also part of the larger Clewiston, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History of Fort Denaud

Fort Denaud was an important place during past conflicts. It was located right next to the Caloosahatchee River. This spot was about 27 miles east of Fort Myers.

Early Beginnings as a Supply Post

The fort was first set up in 1837. It was used as a place to store supplies during the Second Seminole War. This war was a conflict between the United States and the Seminole people. The fort was named after Pierre Denaud. He was a French-Canadian trapper who owned the land. He used to trade animal skins with the Seminole people before the war started.

Fort Denaud During the Third Seminole War

The fort became even more important during the Third Seminole War. It served as a main base for several groups of federal soldiers. It was also a key point along the Caloosahatchee River. This made it a good middle spot between Fort Myers and Lake Okeechobee.

In December 1854, a military leader named Brevet Major William Hays took charge of three companies of soldiers. These soldiers were from the 2nd Artillery Regiment. In January 1855, he moved most of his men to Fort Denaud. He made it his main base of operations. From here, soldiers went on patrols into the Big Cypress Swamp. They mapped out Native American villages and explored areas like Fisheating Creek.

A drawing from 1855 shows that Fort Denaud was connected to another fort. This other fort was called Fort T.B. Adams. It was on the opposite side of the Caloosahatchee River. They were connected by a special boat bridge. In January 1856, a small group of soldiers was attacked near Denaud. Most of the soldiers were lost in this event.

Fort Denaud, sketched by Alexander Webb in early 1856

Modern Developments and Historic Markers

In 1963, the Fort Denaud Bridge was built. This was a swing-style bridge that crossed the Caloosahatchee River. The bridge and its connecting roads are located at mile 108.2 along Route 78A. On the north side of the river, you can find the Fort Denaud Cemetery. On the south side of the bridge, there is a special historic marker.

This marker tells us more about the fort's history. It explains that the Second Seminole War began in 1835. This was because more white settlers were moving into Florida. The government also wanted to move Native American tribes west of the Mississippi.

Captain B. L. E. Bonneville set up Fort Denaud in 1838. It was one of many posts that connected American military actions. The fort was built on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River. It was on land owned by Pierre Denaud, a French trader. The fort was made up of tents with a strong blockhouse in the middle. It helped supply troops in the Lake Okeechobee area. The fort was used on and off until the war ended in 1842.

Fort Denaud was reopened in 1855, when the 3rd Seminole War began. More buildings were added, like soldier quarters, a hospital, a guardhouse, a store, and stables. After a fire damaged the fort in June 1856, a new location was chosen. This new site was two miles west on the north bank of the river. The fort was finally left empty in May 1858. The nearby town of Fort Denaud got its name from this historic fort.

Geography of Fort Denaud

The Fort Denaud CDP is located in the northwest part of Hendry County. It shares its northern border with Glades County. To the southeast, it is next to the city of LaBelle. To the west, it borders Lee County.

Florida State Road 80 runs along the southern edge of the CDP. This road goes east about 2 miles into LaBelle. It continues for about 34 miles to Clewiston. If you go west on SR 80, it's about 27 miles to Fort Myers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the total area of the CDP is about 54.0 square kilometers (20.8 square miles). Most of this area, about 52.2 square kilometers (20.2 square miles), is land. The remaining 1.8 square kilometers (0.7 square miles), or 3.40%, is water. The Caloosahatchee River flows right through the middle of the CDP. It flows west towards the ocean at Fort Myers.

Population Information

The population of Fort Denaud has grown over the years. In 2010, the U.S. Census counted 1,694 people living there. By the 2020 Census, the population had increased to 2,049 people.

See also

In Spanish: Fort Denaud para niños