The Pride and the Shame of Fort Pickens

We took a little trip to the western end of the island and visited Fort Pickens, a place where time tiptoes past with the story, both impressive, and shameful, of America’s past.

Begun in 1829 and completed in 1934, Fort Pickens was the largest of four forts built by a work force of skilled slave laborers to defend Pensacola Bay. Construction was difficult. Workers were exposed to an unfriendly climate, yellow Fever and experienced severe heat exhaustion.Their owners collected their wages. Shameful.

In October 1886 a train carrying 16 Apache families pulled in to Pensacola. Under guard the men were separated from the women and children and taken by steamer across to Santa Rosa Island where they were imprisoned at Fort Pickens. Among the prisoners was the great Apache chief, Geronimo and also Naiche, the youngest son of Cochise, and hereditary chief of the Chiricahuas.The editor of The Pensacolian wrote that “Geronimo would be an attraction which will bring here a great many visitors.” President Cleveland approved the idea. The men were held prisoner until 1888 and treated as a “human freak show.” Like I said, shameful. 

Ironically, the only real action this fort endured happened when America was at war with itself. It was one of the few seacoast forts that remained in Union control in the civil War and several major battles were fought from it.

The Fort Pickens gunnery was updated during World War I, and again in World War II. Then it was closed in 1947. Now gulls and children play where powerful weapons once shook the earth and stood ready to defend our country.