Fort Foster (Hillsborough County, Florida)
Hillsborough County · Florida · Second Seminole War
History & Significance
The location originally held Fort Alabama, built by Colonel William Lindsay in March 1836, but the fort was attacked almost immediately and abandoned in April 1836. General Thomas Jessup ordered the reconstruction of a fort at this site on the Hillsborough River.
On December 1, 1836, Lieutenant Colonel Foster arrived with 430 men to rebuild the fort and bridge; by December 19, he had erected two blockhouses, a large storehouse, and the main fort structure. The fort's purpose was to defend the bridge crossing and act as a resupply point for soldiers in the field.
From January 1836 through March 1837, the fort was garrisoned primarily by U.S. Navy sailors, including Lieutenant Thomas J. Lieb, approximately fifty sailors, and twenty artillery troops. The site was significant for skirmishes in February 1837 when sailors from USS Concord and artillerymen resisted Seminole attacks and attempts to burn the bridge.
Of only three Second Seminole War structures still standing, Fort Foster remains the only reconstructed example located at its original site. The fort site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1972, and reconstructed by the state and opened to the public in February 1980.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Reconstructed Second Seminole War fortification with period military structures
- Naval and Army garrison history with detailed defensive design
- Hillsborough River setting with access to state park trails and nature
- Educational exhibits on 1830s frontier warfare and supply operations
Sources
- https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/fort-foster-state-historic-site
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Foster_(Florida)
- https://www.sebringhistoricalsociety.info/single-post/2019/01/25/fort-foster-and-the-second-seminole-war
- https://tampahistorical.org/items/show/95
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/fort-foster-florida/
- https://www.trailoffloridasindianheritage.org/fort-foster/