East Martello Tower (Key West, Florida)

 military, fortification, interesting place

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3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 296-3913
www.kwahs.com/martello.htm

US coastal defense fortification of the Third System built (in 1862)as an additional landward defense (along with the West Martello Tower) in support of Fort Zachary Taylor at the westernmost point of Key West.

The East and West Martello towers are two of the few examples of Martello towers left in the United States. While most Martello towers were round and housed one or two heavy guns, most of the American examples were square, and in this case, housed 12 heavy guns in three levels. The positions were additionally strengthened by full a full level of casemated guns on the seaward front, with an additional row of guns mounted en barbette.

The fortification currently houses Fort East Martello Museum, with sections devoted to local history, the military community and local artworks.

The small size of the work and the lack of any support buildings clearly shows that the towers were only ever meant to be sub-posts of Fort Taylor and only manned during an actual attack.