Nature Reclaiming Largest Fort on Gulf Coast Located in Louisiana
Only accessible by boat, Fort Livingston located on Grand Terre Island in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana is being reclaimed by nature as time takes a toll on the largest Fort on the Gulf Coast.
Fort Livingston was originally constructed of cemented shell covered in bricks and styled with granite trim.
Developed to protect the entrance to Barataria Pass, Fort Livingston's construction started in 1834. By July of that year, construction stopped. Construction resumed in 1840. The lighthouse was added several years later in 1856.
In the first half of the 19th century, pirates were run off the land to clear the land for the construction of the massive defense fort. By 1955 the island was designated a state Wildlife and Fisheries reservation. The state created the Fort Livingston State Commemorative Area in 1979.
Over the years hurricanes have damaged Fort Livingston. Today, Fort Livingston is in ruins but people still visit. In fact, so many people visit that the U.S. Coast Guard patrols the area regularly.
(Wikipedia, onlyinyourstate.com, U.S. Coast Guard)