Gulf Islands National Seashore preserves the natural and historic resources of the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands from Florida to Mississippi. The protected regions include mainland areas and parts of seven islands.The Gulf Islands have a long history of settlement, conflict, and abandonment.
Gulf Islands
Native Cultures
There was evidence in the 1500s that Native American settlements were thriving in the panhandle of Florida. There was a collapse of the native cultures in Florida during the 17th century. Several Native American groups (including the Timucua, Calusa, Tequesta, Apalachee. Tocobaga, and the Ais people) had been long-established residents of Florida, and most resisted the Spanish. However, conflict with the Spanish, raids by the English and their native allies, and diseases brought from Europe resulted in a severe loss of the indigenous peoples of Florida. The large areas of the peninsula were largely uninhabited by the early 1700s. Spain, in 1559, established a settlement on Pensacola Bay, but it was abandoned soon afterward. Spaniards revived the settlement in 1698, surrendered it to the French in 1719, regained it by treaty in 1722, ceded it to the English in 1763, and repossessed it by force in 1781. The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, was a treaty between the United States and Spain that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined the boundary between the U.S. and New Spain. Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or garrisons. Madrid decided to cede the territory to the United States in exchange for settling the boundary dispute along the Sabine River in Spanish Texas. The treaty established the boundary of U.S. territory and claims through the Rocky Mountains and west to the Pacific Ocean.
War of 1812
The War of 1812 lasted from June 1812 to February 1815, fought between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. During the war of 1812, vulnerabilities along America’s shores were exploited by British forces. In response, the United States constructed a system of over 40 coastal forts. These forts could withstand the cannon balls fired from wooden ships.
Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens guards the entrance to the Pensacola Bay Harbor and the Navy Shipyard, protecting the American coastline from foreign invasion. It was named after Revolutionary War hero General Andrew Pickens. No, Sandy’s feet are not that big. Michael was using a wide angle lens for the photo.
Construction of Fort Pickens lasted from 1829 to 1834. Over 21 million bricks were used to build it. Much of the construction was done by slaves. It was built in the shape of a pentagon, has four-foot thick walls and archways to endure heavy cannon fire. Fort Pickens was an integral part of the United states coastal defense system until 1947 when coastal forts were declared surplus. In 1971 Fort Pickens became part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Geronimo
He was born an Apache Indian in Sonora, Mexico (later known as New Mexico) in 1829. After the Civil War ended, the United States Government turned its military against the troublesome Indians in the west. The governments policy of containment and restriction to reservations angered many Native Americans and caused confrontations between the Apache and the military. The Apaches also fought with the Mexicans. Geronimo’s mother, wife, and children were all murdered by Mexican soldiers. Over the next 30 years, he vowed to kill as many white men as possible.
Geronimo was a medicine man and not a chief. He and his band raided across Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. They were captured in 1886 and shipped by rail to Fort Marion in St. Augustine, Florida, separated from their families. Pensacola business men petitioned the government to have Geronimo sent to Fort Pickens. The business men were congratulated for bringing such a great tourist attraction to the city. Nevertheless, the Indians were forced to perform hard labor at the fort. Eventually, their families were brought to Fort Pickens. As a tourist attraction, Geronimo saw 459 visitors on one day, but averaged 20/day. Geronimo was reduced to a sideshow spectacle. He was seen at fairs and sold souvenirs and photographs. He spent the rest of his life as a prisoner. He eventually died in 1909 (age 79) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from pneumonia after falling off a horse.
Concrete Stalactites
Along the undersides of some of the arches at Gulf Islands, there are cave formations (stalactites, draperies, stalagmites, soda straws). These were formed by the process of efflorescence. Water percolates through the brick and mortar extracting salts which precipitates to create the formations.
Jake re-discovered armadillos….not many squirrels at this location. Unfortunately, one stayed at our Gulf Islands camping site making it a difficult distraction for Jake to do his business when outside.
The beach at Gulf Islands was incredible. No one there at sunset. We had some great views and photos. Incredible sunsets because of the smoke from the controlled burns. Great blue heron foot prints in the sand.
After a long day of sightseeing, we went to town for fresh seafood! Sandy had an oyster sampler which was a dozen oysters baked 6 different ways.
