Welcome to Fort Taylor, Florida. Originally positioned 1200 feet off shore from Key West, it was built as part of the Third System of fortifications to defend Key West Harbor. Construction of the fort began in 1845. The structure was named for President Zachary Taylor by General Order No.38, dated Nov. 4, 1850.

Now that you are here, relax for a few moments and enjoy our web site about the southernmost Civil War-era fortress in the continental United States, the soldiers who served here, the weaponry that defended Key West and how the fort served the United States for nearly 100 years.

This National Historic Landmark was on active duty status from 1861 to 1947. Today, Fort Taylor is landlocked and is a state park, managed by the Florida Park Service. The fort hosts a Civil War reenactment the second weekend of February. We also host a piratical reenactment interpreting the Golden Age of Pyracy, 1675-1725 the first weekend of December. The fort is also home to the Civil War reenactment group, Battery B, 1^st U.S. Artillery. And, it serves as the Headquarters for the Conch Republic Army.

Enjoy your visit to America's southernmost Civil War fortress. See what happened on this day in Florida and Key West Civil War history. Be sure to visit our gift shop. Thank you for visiting!

This web site aims to call attention to one of the most important strategic fortresses of its time. Using the navigation buttons on the left, you can explore our fort in a virtual manner. Visit the Battery B, First U.S. Artillery page and see how our reenactment detachment "serves the piece." The detachment trains on a 3-inch Iron (Ordnance) Rifle (field artillery) and a 10-inch Rodman seacoast cannon (heavy artillery) -- one of a handful of reenactment groups in the U.S. to have access to both weapons. We also invite you to join the discussions on our message board about the fort, the people, the weapons and the changes that came about at Fort Taylor during its more than 100 year active service period.

Re-enactment Information and Sponsors Reenactment Units Web Site Award