Fort Clinch, Images of America

As part of the third system of fortifications built for harbor defense, Fort Clinch was constructed from 1847 to 1867. Serving in three wars, the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War II, the fort never saw battle and was never fully completed. Offered for public sale in 1926, Fort Clinch was sold by its owners to the State of Florida in 1935 and became one of the first nine Florida state parks. The fort was partially restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1937 to 1942. Later, the Florida Park Service performed a more comprehensive restoration from 1963 to 1971 and created one of the finest living history programs in the country, offering an interpretation of Fort Clinch as it was in 1864, when the federal army occupied the fort and Amelia Island. Today, Fort Clinch State Park offers a wide range of recreation resources to visitors.