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Fort Jefferson
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Dry Tortugas: Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Keys Dry Tortugas National Park: Fort Jefferson
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Fort Jefferson

fort, Florida, United States
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Dry Tortugas: Fort Jefferson
Dry Tortugas: Fort Jefferson Fort Jefferson on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Florida, U.S.

Fort Jefferson is a large, unfinished masonry fortification located on Garden Key in the Dry Tortugas islands, Florida. Discovered by Juan Ponce de León in 1513, the islands were named for the tortoises found there. The fort was built between 1846 and 1876 and remained under Union control during the American Civil War, serving as a prison. Notable prisoners included Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, who treated John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.12

The Dry Tortugas islands and Fort Jefferson were established as Fort Jefferson National Monument in 1935 and became Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992. The park, accessible only by boat or seaplane, encompasses 101 square miles of land and water and is known for its marine life and migratory birds.12

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  1. Dry Tortugas National Park
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