About this place

A REMINDER OF AN EARLIER TIME Experience evening candlelight tours of Fort Matanzas complete with cannon firings. You will be entering a 1st person environment as if you and other guest are living with soldiers and sailors in the year 1783. A park ranger will guide you before you enter the fort and immerse yourself in a night during the American Revolutionary War. In 1783 the decision was made to reinforce Fort Matanzas. As the other British colonies (1st 13 US States) continue their revolt against the crown, St. Augustine became more important to the British in their attempt to maintain their hold on the colonies in North America. The reason for this was that Florida remained loyal to Great Britain during the American Revolution, and thus St. Augustine became an important military post for housing soldiers and harboring refugees fleeing from persecution in the colonies in rebellion against the United Kingdom. As the time of open rebellion continued, the British began to bolster their defenses in East and West Florida. New Cannons are being fired to help zone out the area and register all the shots for future use. You are now shipwreck survivors found on the nearby beach and have been brought into the fort for shelter until the morning. Park Website: www.nps.gov/foma