Like the Rock of Gibraltar

Like the Rock of Gibraltar. . History of Fort Taylor , Fort Taylor served faithfully through the American Civil War and was called the "Gibraltar of the Florida Straits", even though it never fired a single shot in defense. It protected the harbor from attack, and served as the anchor of the Union's East Gulf Blockading Fleet., Modernization , After the Civil War, the U.S. Army decided to upgrade the Civil War weapons to more modern, long-range rifles. The Fort was reduced from two and a half stories to only one and a half. This reduction allowed the full employment of the two 12-inch Barbette Rifles and four 3-inch, 15-pounder Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat guns. These were installed between 1898 and 1903. A number of the obsolete cannons were buried inside the southern-facing casemates., National Recognition , Through the work of Howard S. England and others, the fort was declared a National Historic Site in 1971 and a National Historic Landmark in 1973. The state park formally opened to the public in July 1985., Twentieth-Century Defense , The Fort also played a key role in World Wars I and II protecting the harbor and its facilities. It even served during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 as a radar installation.