May 2002
Fort Zachary Taylor, Key West
Construction was initiated in 1845 and it was named after President Zachary
Taylor shortly after his death in 1850.
In 1861, after the Civil War broke out, Captain John Brannon occupied the
fort to keep it in Union hands.
The three mile range of the ten-inch columbiad cannons helped keep Confederate
ships away from Key West and protected Union ships after
they ran the Confederate blockade.