The Keys History & Discovery Center will host an online presentation about Dry Tortugas National Park next week.
“History in Images: Dry Tortugas National Park,” a live virtual lecture by James A. Kushlan and Kirsten Hines, will be presented on Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 7 p.m.
Isolated 70 miles west of Key West, the islands of Dry Tortugas National Park appear to arise as if by magic, floating atop the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Juan Ponce de León named the islands, making “Tortugas” the second oldest persistent place name in North America. Kushlan and Hines will share some of the stories of Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas that they have uncovered for their book, “Dry Tortugas National Park.”
Attendees will hear about the lighthouse built in 1826, the nation’s most ambitious masonry fortification Fort Jefferson and its role in the Civil War, and Dr. Samuel Mudd and the other Lincoln conspirators imprisoned there. Also included will be images of its waters, coral reefs and aquatic life, which remain among the most biologically intact in the American tropics.
The lecture is free for members and $5 for non-members. Advance registration is at www.keysdiscovery.com/lectures. This virtual program uses GoToWebinar. More information on this platform is at www.keysdiscovery.com/virtual-platforms.
