Fort Matanzas National Monument

 On Saturday, June 1, the girls and I took a trip to Fort Matanzas.  It was a beautiful start to the day.

This is a National Memorial in the national park system.

Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified coquina watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. It also protects approximately 300 acres of Florida coastal environment containing dunes, marsh, maritime forest, and associated flora and fauna, including threatened and endangered species.

This is the visitor center/gift shop.

This fort is unique - we had to ride a ferry across the river to visit the fort.

They had a room downstairs set up how it may have been back in the day.

The fort had been abandoned and was being run down into ruins.  Thankfully, it was saved and put into the National Park system and is now preserved for future generations to see and learn about our history.

These are my favorite pictures I take when visiting these places.  A view from a window.

Probably my favorite.

View from the top.

The landscape around the fort.

Doing their junior ranger booklets.

I love the flag photos also.

The hole and ladder to get up and down to the top of the fort.

So cool!  This beautiful redbird was here.

We brought lunch and ate at the park there.  Strawberries, cheese, summer sausage, pickled eggs, egg salad croissants.

I love this photo.  The trees are so cool in this little park!

Taking their oath and receiving their Junior Ranger badges.

I really enjoyed this outing!