Amazing History
- The largest brick building in the western hemisphere.
- The Park is actually a 100 square miles but 98% of it is under water. The 7 tiny islands that make up the Dry Tortugas account for only 97 acres in total.
- Fort Jefferson's most famous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Alexander Mud.
In 1898 the U.S.S. Maine sailed from the Dry Tortugas on its ill-fated voyage to the bottom of Havana harbor, helping ignite the Spanish-American War. Ten years later the islands were designated a preserve and breeding ground for birds. Then, in 1935, Fort Jefferson was declared a national monument.
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Located in the southwest corner of the Florida Keys reef system, Dry Tortugas National Park is a remote park that is more than 99% water. Its crystal clear ocean waters abound with incredible marine life.
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Dry Tortugas National Park: 6 It's a remote spot of seven small islands about 70 nautical miles west of Key West. It is, in fact, one of the least-visited national parks in the country.
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Are there sharks in Dry Tortugas? Yes, there are sharks in Dry Tortugas National Park. The most common type of shark seen in the park is the nurse shark. Nurse sharks are not aggressive and are sometimes called the “couch potato” of the shark world.
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Overnight anchoring is allowed in the area of sand and rubble bottom within 1 nautical mile of the Fort Jefferson harbor light and must not block any designated channel. Overnight anchoring is not permitted at any other location in Dry Tortugas National Park.
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Biscayne National Park is 95% underwater and 100% worth preserving, protecting and restoring. When people envision Florida's coasts, the gentle waves lapping at the soft sand under a bright sun generally come to mind, but the greatest things our waters have to offer are actually found under the surface.
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