In 1862, the Union military began construction on two fortifications, known as the East and West Martello Towers. Located on the south shore of Key West to provide defensive support to Fort Zachary Taylor, the East Martello Tower is two miles east of the West Tower.

Construction continued throughout the Civil War years. The masonry work was substantially completed by the end of the war, but the outer works were never finished and no armament was installed. The wartime development of rifled artillery rendered such masonry fortifications obsolete, and by 1866 construction of the

original plans were suspended. In 1947, the structures were declared surplus by the U.S. Army and sold to Monroe County, which later leased East Martello to the Key West Art and Historical Society.

East Martello is operated as a museum with a large collection of Key West artifacts, historical records, and military memorabilia including Civil War objects. Of the two fortifications, the East Martello Tower has retained more of its Civil War appearance and has essentially survived in the form of its original construction.

www.kwahs.com/martello.htm

Information Provided by the Florida Division of Historical Resources, a division of the Florida Department of State.