Egmont Key...

A gopher tortoise, which we have in Siesta Key is critically endangered in Florida.  I like to think of them as a very small version of a Galapagos turtle.  

While we did not stop at Egmont Key on our Loop, we have stopped here before.  Egmont Key is a small island situated between Tampa to the north and Anna Maria Island just to the south at the mouth of Tampa Bay.  You can get here 3 ways- take the tour boat at Fort DeSoto Park on the Tampa side, take a boat out of Anna Maria Island or rent a boat in Anna Maria.  Danny and I have been there with friends and family three times on a rental boat.  It is an amazing place with a significant history.  If you ever come this way, it is definitely something you must do!  Most people land their boats on the southern Gulf side as the water can be rough.  There are also areas which are labeled bird sanctuary and people are not allowed to access that location.  There are walking paths around the island to enjoy which structures are left, the lighthouse, and beaches.  We have been told they have tours but on our visits we never experienced it.  The lighthouse has been in place since 1858. 
At the end of the third Seminole War, (1855-1858) the island served as a camp for captured Seminoles.  I bought a book on the history of the island but have not read it yet.  My understanding is these Seminole Indians became part of the Trail of Tears.

During the Civil War, the island was held by the Union Navy.  They have posted information about the people buried there.




Egmont Key also was utilized during the Spanish-American War.  Fort Dade was built here and utilized until 1923.  The only structures that exist is the visitor's center and the foundation of the buildings.

         Again, this is a stop that is worth making in your travels to south Florida!


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