Fort Pulaski National Monument

Fort Pulaski National Monument is a park on Cockspur Island in Chatham County between Savannah and Tybee Island.  The monument protects Fort Pulaski, built as part of the Third System of coastal fortifications and completed in 1847.  At the time it was built, massive brick fortifications were thought to be impenetrable.  New technology developed during the Civil War - the rifled cannon - was able to breach the walls and render brick forts obsolete.  Union forces captured the fort in 1862, controlling the port of Savannah.  The fort was declared a National Monument in 1924, at which time repairs began and the park opened to the public.

Contact Information:

PO Box 30757
Savannah, GA 31410

Phone: (912) 786-5787

Map:

Trails:

Lighthouse Overlook Trail:

Lighthouse Overlook Trail is a 3/4 mile trail that leads through a maritime forest and past marshes to an overlook of Cockspur Island Lighthouse.

Wildlife:

Mud fiddler crabs (Uca pugnax) are found in the mud and sand around the island.  While the females have similar claws, the males are notable for one claw which is much larger than the other.

Blog Entries:

30-Dec-2019: Fort Pulaski

External Links:

National Park Service website: https://www.nps.gov/fopu/index.htm