Old Fort Park

Old Fort Park is about a block from my house.  It isn't much of a fort.  It was a Civil War era observation post with perhaps an artillery piece, overlooking the approach to Tallahassee from the Gulf coast.

The park is the site of our Woodland Drives Neighborhood Association picnics.  People walk their dogs there, children play games.

An historical marker at the park reads:

This earth work located on ground once part of the plantation of E.A. Houston, father of Captain Patrick Houston (later state adjutant general) who commanded the Confederate artillery at the Battle of Natural Bridge, is a silent witness of the efforts of the citizens of Tallahassee to protect the capitol of Florida from capture by federal troops under General John Newton.

Newton's force landed at St. Marks light house and advanced up the east side of the St. Marks River, only to be decisively repulsed at Natural Bridge on March 6, 1865, by a hurriedly assembled Confederate force commanded by General Sam Jones, which included a company of cadets from the West Florida Seminary, now Florida State University.

So not a shot was fired in anger from this fort, nor a Yankee seen.

 
There is another line of breastworks downhill to the south in someone's back yard.  I saw them once when the house was for sale.

These were taken with my Droid Mini phone.  Not bad at all.