Editor’s note: This summer we will be “On the Road” with our friends from History. We are grateful to Dr. Libby O’Connell and her team for sharing their expertise and knowledge with us about Florida history. Please enjoy the above video and learning more about the Fort De Soto.

On the Road at Fort De Soto: Citizens of Tampa feared an armed invasion when the Spanish American War erupted in 1898. Henry B. Plant, the local Donald Trump, convinced the  US Secretary of War to construct these fortifications at Mullet Key. The walls are enormously thick to withstand what was the latest technology in cannon fire, but fortunately the Spanish never attacked Florida.

Have you visited Fort De Soto recently? What did you find most interesting about this historic landmark?