60. The Cultural History of Fort Pickens and Gulf Islands National Seashore | Casimer Rosiecki, Gulf Islands National Seashore

Orange Blaze: A Florida Trail Podcast

If there ever was a podcast episode to deviate from my typical episodes, this is the one. I take a turn from our typical natural history land management episodes to bring you some cultural history, focused around Fort Pickens and the Santa Rosa Island area of Gulf Islands National Seashore. When I reached out to the park service to see if a representative would be interested in coming on the podcast I wasn’t sure what to expect and to whom I would be speaking with, but Casimer brings out so much information that I wasn’t completely aware of in the episode, that unless you specialize in Gulf Coast maritime and military history, you will learn a lot from what Casimer has to say. From the native tribes who inhabited the region to Casimer’s recent discovery that brought to light that Fort Pickens served as a component of the Underground Railroad during the American Civil War, you might find yourself wanting to jot down notes as you would in a college history class—I know I certainly did. I hope that after listening to Casimer speak to the unique depth of history in this area you will take it to heart the next time you find yourself walking down the beaches of Santa Rosa Island and certainly as you being or end your hike of the Florida Trail at Fort Pickens.

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/OB_CasimerRosiecki_08022021.mp3

Download Episode 60

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes
+Gulf Islands National Seashore
+Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore
+Fort Pickens Recognized as Underground Railroad Site – NPS
+Fort Pickens recognized as underground railroad site after new research comes to light – Pensacola News Journal
+Books Mentioned:
+The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea by Jack E. Davis
+Aiming for Pensacola: Fugitive Slaves on the Atlantic and Southern Frontiers by Matthew J. Clavin
+Pensacola during the Civil War: A Thorn in the Side of the Confederacy by George F. Pearce