We thought we were pretty far south until we took a seaplane down to Dry Tortugas National Park. This has to be one of the least accesible National Parks. Ponce De Leon (remember him?) named it “Tortugas” (Spanish for turtles that he saw swimming) and “Dry” was added to the title later to designate this island to mariners as an island with no fresh water.
The brick structure built there is Ft. Jefferson, which was in Union hands during the Civil War. At 50 ft. high and 8 ft. thick, it’s the largest brick structure in the western hemisphere. Ironically, they spent 30 years building it, but never finished because by then cannon fire had become so sophisticated that the walls were no longer impenetrable.
Since it couldn’t be used for military purposes any longer, it was used as a prison. One famous prisoner was the doctor who was sentenced to life in prison after he set a broken leg.
The patient? John Wilkes Booth, assassin of President Lincoln.
The doctor’s name? Mudd. That’s how the “your name is mud” phrase became popular. The Mudd family has been trying ever since to claim Dr. Mudd’s innocence and clear their family name.
The patient? John Wilkes Booth, assassin of President Lincoln.
The doctor’s name? Mudd. That’s how the “your name is mud” phrase became popular. The Mudd family has been trying ever since to claim Dr. Mudd’s innocence and clear their family name.
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