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Showing posts with the label Civil War

The History of Alcatraz "The Rock"

The story of Alcatraz starts in 1775 with the discovery by Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala who called the 22-acre island “La Isla de los Alcatraces” which means “Island of Pelicans”. President Millard Fillmore in 1850 reserved the island for the Army. With the advent of the Gold Rush and increased growth in the area both a lighthouse and the 100 cannon Fort Alcatraz was built.  Like many forts in the U.S., the island never came under attack or needed to defend the area. In the 1860’s the island became a prison for treason under the Civil War and hosted 300 people with room for 500 for over a 100 years. A 1906 earthquake brought more prisoners who were commissioned to build a prison.  The prison became the Pacific Branch, U.S. Military Prison, Alcatraz Island where discipline to military members was the common call of the day. It also trained them in vocational and military skills. This was the time Alcatraz was known as “The Rock”. As a minimum-security prison, it

The Mythical History of Fort East Martello in Key West Florida

If you are in search of a historical get-a-way with a little bit of mystery you might want to visit Fort East Martello in Key West Florida. The old fort is located right next to the airport so you cannot miss it on either your way in or your way out.   It is both educational and thought provoking. Families can enjoy teaching their children about the history of the Civil War as well as the freakish nature of the Chucky Doll. If this hasn’t scared them into your arms then you might want to read some of the spooky letters of customers who did not believe!  During the civil war Fort East Martello was designed as additional protection for the Key West Island. Construction began in 1862 but was halted and eventually abandoned by the U.S. Army at the end of the Civil War. Not a single battle was won or fought in the West Keys region throughout the entire era of this conflict. It remained a place of teenage fun and partying until the Historical Society adopted the fort in the 1950s