Fort Taylor (2)

Fort Taylor (2) (1846-1947) - Construction began in 1845 and was essentially complete in 1860, named for Zachary Taylor. Also known as Fort Zachary Taylor.

Fort Taylor (2) History

Fort Taylor was designed as a three tiered fort in the shape of a trapezoid off shore about 1000' on the southwestern side of Key West island. By the end of 1860 the fort was ready for occupancy

U.S. Civil War

Union troops secured the fort for the Union 15 Jan 1861 and by March 1861 the fort had a complement of 178 guns. Fort Taylor, Fort Jefferson, and Fort Pickens were held by Union forces throughout the U.S. Civil War. Fort Taylor served as headquarters for the Union Navy East Gulf Coast Blockading Squadron and guarded some 300 captured vessels anchored in front of the fort. Fort Taylor never saw hostile action.

Endicott Period

Fort Taylor was upgraded during the Endicott Period with 9 batteries . The top two levels were removed and newer coastal artillery was emplaced, which remained through mid-World War II. Anti-aircraft guns replaced the coastal artillery pieces.

**Fort Taylor Civil War Armament**
No.	Caliber	Type
6	10"	Columbiads
83	8"	Columbiads
42	42-pounders
11	32-Pound	Howitzer
36	24-Pound	Howitzer
Source: Harper's Weekly, 2 Mar 1861

**Fort Taylor Endicott Period Batteries**
Battery	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Years
Seminole	8	12"	Mortar Carriage	1904-1943
Osceola	2	12"	Barbette Carriage	1900-1944
DeLeon	4	10"	Disappearing Carriage	1904-1940
Covington	2	8"	Disappearing Carriage	1904-1917
DeKalb	2	6"	Pedestal Mount	1906-1917
Gardiner	2	4.7"	British Armstrong Pedestal Mount	1898-1913
Ford	2	3"	Pedestal Mount	1906-1946
Dilworth	2	3"	Masking Pedestal Mount	1901-1920
Adair	4	3"	Masking Pedestal Mount	1901-1920
Source: Coastal Defense Study Group

**Fort Taylor World War II Batteries**
Battery	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Years
AMTB #5	2	90 mm	Fixed Pedestal	1943-1946
Unnamed	4	155 mm	Tractor Drawn Carriage Panama Mount	1943-1946
Source: Coastal Defense Study Group

Current Status

The fort site was transferred to the Navy in 1947 and was used a storage yard for scrap metal. The Department of the Interior took over the property until it was deeded to the State of Florida in 1976. The fort is now a Florida State Park.

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Location: Key West, Florida

Maps & Images

Lat: 24.547884 Long: -81.810207

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: '

Sources:

Robinson, Willard B., American Forts: Architectural Form and Function, University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1977, ISBN 0-252-00589-9, page 114-115
Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W., Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 to the Present, DaCapo Press, 2004, ISBN 0-306-81294-0, page 226,227
Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 209-210

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