Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest stone fortress in the United States. Built in 1672, its name changed three times over the centuries.

 

Fun Facts

• Castillo de San Marcos was built to protect the city of St. Augustine, Florida, which was part of the Spanish Empire at the time.
• St. Augustine was founded in 1565 on the site of a previous Native American settlement, Seloy. The settlement built nine wooden forts for protection after Sir Francis Drake and his fleet of 22 ships attacked the city in 1586.
• In 1668, English privateer Robert Searles burned the fort and the city to the ground. The governor of St. Augustine ordered a stone fortress be built, one which couldn’t be burned.
• Castillo de San Marcos is made of coquina stone. The fort sits on the coast, outside the city.
• In 1763, the English gained control of Florida and the fort, promptly renaming it “Fort St. Mark.”
• In 1783, the Spanish regained control and changed the name back to Castillo de San Marcos.
• In 1819, the United States received the fort and named it “Fort Marion.”
• Finally in 1924, the fort was made a National Monument and its original name was restored again. After more than 250 years of military service, the fort was closed.

 

Vocabulary

1. Privateer: a privately owned, armed ship/captain hired by a government to capture enemy property, especially during war
2. Coquina: a rock made of very old shells hardened in limeston

 

Questions and Answers

Question: Who built the fort?

Answer: The Spanish engineer Ignacio Daza built the fort, but native people, many of whom were slaves, did most of the work.

 

Learn More

See images of the fort.