Fort Jefferson

This day, I took a tour of the national park: Fort Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas. These keys, about 70 miles off of Key West, contain an old fort that was known for defending the Caribbean.

It was also the place where Dr Samuel Mudd served his sentence. Mudd was the doctor who set John Wilkes Booth's broken leg after Booth jumped from the box onto the stage at Ford's theater...where he assassinated President Lincoln. Dr Mudd was renowned here because prisoner Mudd assisted with a yellow fever epidemic after the regular doc died from the sickness.

The fort was pretty tough duty for the Union soldiers who served here. Wearing wool uniforms, they endured heat, sickness and really bad food.

This place offers a historical bent as well as swimming, snorkeling and camping. Maybe, some day, I'll go back.