We have spent the winter here in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I have wanted to visit Fort Pickens for a long time. It is part of a four forts that guarded Pennacola Bay. Fort Pickens, as well as the other three forts, Barrancas, McRee, and Morgan were all built with slave labor. It took 21 million bricks to build just Fort Pickens. Fort Pickens is the largest of the four forts. Fort Pickens was the only one of the forts to stay under Union control during the Civil War.
There is a small campground located on the island close to the fort, to small for me. It is all part of the Gulf Island National Seashore. It is very beautiful on the island and worth the drive over from Gulf Shores.
The fort is very much intact, even thogh its been thru several hurricanes. I guess they lost a few cannons with the last storm. We plan to visit it again while we are here for the winter. If you get to the area I would recommend taking a visit to the fort.
