"Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead!" You can almost hear the command of Admiral David Farragut as he led his troops into the battle of Mobile Bay. Today Fort Morgan is a testament to the evolution of American coast defense fortifications from 1834 to World War II. It's a history lesson waiting to be explored.
Explore the grounds of historic Fort Morgan. Guides and enactors will explain how the Spanish used Fort Morgan in the 1500's, then rebuilt it in the early 1800's as protection against Native Americans. Standing atop the fort with a view of the once-embattled bay, visitors can imagine the summer of 1864 when Confederate and Union naval forces fought for control of the harbor entrance. You may even hear the echo of Admiral David Farragut's immortal words, "Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead!"
A living history program is conducted daily during the summer. Candlelight fort tours are held Tuesday evenings in the summer. Children's Day Camps offered various time during the summer.
Eight miles across the bay on Dauphin Island, more history was written at Fort Gaines, which also battled - and was overtaken by - Union forces. A ferry shuttles across the bay during the day, linking the two fortresses once joined in a common cause.
Museum open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily
Fort open
8 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily (Apr-Oct)
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily (Nov-Mar)
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
Admission: $5 for adults, $4 seniors, $3 for children 18 -under, free 6-under. Family Pass: $12 for 2 adults/2 children.