Fort Zachary Taylor

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is a state-managed site at the western end of Key West, Florida, centered on a mid-19th-century coastal fortification and adjoining coastal land. The fortification dates from the mid-1800s and was part of U.S. coastal defenses.

The preserved masonry fort offers interpretive displays and interior rooms to view historic coastal defenses. The park also includes a beachfront and nearshore reef areas used for swimming and snorkeling, making it a combined historic and recreational site.

Work on the fort began in the mid-19th century and construction continued through the Civil War period into later decades; it was used for coastal defense through the 19th and early 20th centuries. The site has since been conserved as a historic park with public access and interpretation.

Situated at the western tip of Key West, the park lies within the city limits and is immediately adjacent to the island’s shoreline and reef fringe.

• Dual attractions: The site combines a preserved masonry coastal fort with public beach areas and reef access for snorkeling and shallow-water marine viewing.
• Interpretation: Interpretive displays at the fort explain its 19th-century construction and role in coastal defense; a small museum is located on site.

What to See #

• Fort structure: The masonry fort structure contains casemates, barracks rooms and defensive walls that date to mid-19th-century construction and later modifications.
• Beach and reef access: Adjacent beachfront and shallow reef areas provide access for swimming and snorkeling along the park shoreline.