Fort Clinch
It is now April and I am continuing my "summer's coming, summer's coming" outings.
On this lovely morning it was only 70 degrees as I left home to venture out.
Back many moons, weeks and years ago I used to love to come camping here. As I was driving through the park to get to the fort I realized that I miss camping a lot more than I thought. So much so that I may have to buy a tent and some gear and start camping again this fall. I will however have a cot and will not, I repeat, will not sleep on the hard ground like I used to in my much younger days. But I digress, all the roads near the river campground and the fort are canopied by the large Live Oak trees.
Once you get through the gift shop and pay your extra fee, you follow a path out to the entrance to the fort. Construction on the fort began in 1847 and it was never finished. A civilian workforce under the direction of the US Army Corps or Engineers started it but when Florida seceded from the Union, Confederate forces took control of the fort. On March 3, 1862 the Confederate forces had withdrawn and Company E of the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers moved in. They worked long, hard days in an effort to complete the fort, but as I mentioned, it was never completed.
As you walk down the swing bridge to enter the for you can see initials carved into the bricks from men who served here during the Second World War.
Here is another set of initials.
On this trip, and the reason I picked this day, was because re-enactors were I the fort. They represented Company E of the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers. Anything you ask them, they will reply as if it is 1862, or they may say they have no idea what you are talking about. They stay true to character which is pretty cool.
Anyway, this is tunnel that leads to one of the Bastions. This fort has 5 of them.
Here is a photo of the ceiling in the enlisted men's barracks. Hard to tell but they are curved upwards.
At the Blacksmith's shop, this gentleman was making new hooks for the men to hang their clothes on. Sad fact is some visitors to the fort steal the hooks off the walls. This man said this round of hooks would be much better installed.
Up top, a group was putting on cannon firing demonstrations. Everyone was told to cover their ears, it was really loud. After the demonstration you could ask them all sorts of questions. I heard one person ask about how they aimed the cannons.
I went to check out the supply area. There were piles of uniforms and all other manner of clothing items. I spied these barrels and had to ask what 'Japan Paint' was. It is a black, gloss enamel paint. No one is sure how it got its unusual name.
Over in another part of the fort is a supply room with different sizes of cannon balls.
I ventured down another tunnel to another Bastion, This time there were no children running up and down the steep, spiral stairs so I headed up.
The view of the fort from the Bastion.
Soon it was time to leave. As is headed out of the fort I stopped here. This was the oil storage house for one of 4 beacon lights that guided ships around the point the fort sits on.
The storage house and what is left of these brick foundations are all that is left of this light. Two others are completely gone, wiped out by hurricanes. That leaves one beacon light still standing.
Like several state parks, Fort Clinch has a long fishing pier. This one, like many others was badly damaged by Hurricane Matthew back in October of 2016 and its fate remains unknown.
Leaving the fort, and following not very good directions, I found the 4th and last beacon light standing, The Amelia Island Lighthouse. You may have to click on the picture for a larger version so you can read the plaque.
The lighthouse is still operating under the control of the US Coast Guard, and access into the light house is forbidden. It has granite steps but I couldn't get a picture of them.
As I left the lighthouse I headed back home quite satisfied with my day's outing. Stay tuned for more pre summer adventures.
On this lovely morning it was only 70 degrees as I left home to venture out.
Back many moons, weeks and years ago I used to love to come camping here. As I was driving through the park to get to the fort I realized that I miss camping a lot more than I thought. So much so that I may have to buy a tent and some gear and start camping again this fall. I will however have a cot and will not, I repeat, will not sleep on the hard ground like I used to in my much younger days. But I digress, all the roads near the river campground and the fort are canopied by the large Live Oak trees.
Once you get through the gift shop and pay your extra fee, you follow a path out to the entrance to the fort. Construction on the fort began in 1847 and it was never finished. A civilian workforce under the direction of the US Army Corps or Engineers started it but when Florida seceded from the Union, Confederate forces took control of the fort. On March 3, 1862 the Confederate forces had withdrawn and Company E of the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers moved in. They worked long, hard days in an effort to complete the fort, but as I mentioned, it was never completed.
As you walk down the swing bridge to enter the for you can see initials carved into the bricks from men who served here during the Second World War.
Here is another set of initials.
On this trip, and the reason I picked this day, was because re-enactors were I the fort. They represented Company E of the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers. Anything you ask them, they will reply as if it is 1862, or they may say they have no idea what you are talking about. They stay true to character which is pretty cool.
Anyway, this is tunnel that leads to one of the Bastions. This fort has 5 of them.
Here is a photo of the ceiling in the enlisted men's barracks. Hard to tell but they are curved upwards.
At the Blacksmith's shop, this gentleman was making new hooks for the men to hang their clothes on. Sad fact is some visitors to the fort steal the hooks off the walls. This man said this round of hooks would be much better installed.
Up top, a group was putting on cannon firing demonstrations. Everyone was told to cover their ears, it was really loud. After the demonstration you could ask them all sorts of questions. I heard one person ask about how they aimed the cannons.
I went to check out the supply area. There were piles of uniforms and all other manner of clothing items. I spied these barrels and had to ask what 'Japan Paint' was. It is a black, gloss enamel paint. No one is sure how it got its unusual name.
Over in another part of the fort is a supply room with different sizes of cannon balls.
I ventured down another tunnel to another Bastion, This time there were no children running up and down the steep, spiral stairs so I headed up.
The view of the fort from the Bastion.
Soon it was time to leave. As is headed out of the fort I stopped here. This was the oil storage house for one of 4 beacon lights that guided ships around the point the fort sits on.
The storage house and what is left of these brick foundations are all that is left of this light. Two others are completely gone, wiped out by hurricanes. That leaves one beacon light still standing.
Like several state parks, Fort Clinch has a long fishing pier. This one, like many others was badly damaged by Hurricane Matthew back in October of 2016 and its fate remains unknown.
Leaving the fort, and following not very good directions, I found the 4th and last beacon light standing, The Amelia Island Lighthouse. You may have to click on the picture for a larger version so you can read the plaque.
The lighthouse is still operating under the control of the US Coast Guard, and access into the light house is forbidden. It has granite steps but I couldn't get a picture of them.
As I left the lighthouse I headed back home quite satisfied with my day's outing. Stay tuned for more pre summer adventures.
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