Place

Castillo Construction Exhibit Room

The Castillo Construction Exhibit Room is accessed from the Flag Room and Casement 4. In this room you are introduced the materials used in building the Castillo. on display is the massive Sally Port door from the American Period, surrounded by clear plastic, is the centerpiece exhibit in the center of the room. Along the walls are several exhibits, in Spanish and in English. The room is about 25 feet square with an arched ceiling. There are square wooden pegs protruding from the walls at an 8 foot height. Two beams cross the room overhead, reinforcing the upright Sally Port Door. There is an entrance to Casement 4 on the right, or north, wall. Standing at the entrance to the room, the description of exhibits, moving from left to right, includes: The Sally Port Door Exhibit. The Castilloâ€™s wooden planked door frame can be viewed from all sides. It is about 12 feet wide, 30 feet tall, and 12 inches thick. A black and white photo shows a soldier in white, patrolling on the drawbridge in front of the Sally Port Door. Text explains that the door is constructed of cypress. The frame contains two large swinging doors. Within one door is a smaller inset door. Building the Castillo Exhibit. Two illustrations and a plan show construction. An illustration shows how a room looked in historic times. Spanish workers broke ground for the Castillo in 1672. By 1695, its stone battlements and wooden interior were completed. By 1756, all rooms and walls were completed. Building Blocks: Coquina Exhibit. A tactile block of a coquina shell stone and the stone cutting tool that was used to shape it. Text describes the material. Mortar and Tabby Exhibit. An illustration shows tabbyâ€”a thick liquidâ€”being poured into a wooden form. Text explains that the Castilloâ€™s coquina blocks are cemented together by mortar. The gun deck was formed by pouring a mixture called tabby over layers of rubble and sand. Natural Construction Exhibit. Text explains that the fort could only be constructed out of natural materials available locally, starting with burning shells to create lime. Photos show the materials: Oyster shells, lime, sand, water and coquina shells. William Carr. ca. 1640 to ca. 1700. Text explains that an Englishman bound for Charleston was imprisoned by the Spanish. Carr was a skilled mason who proved his value by helping to build the Castillo. An illustration shows a mason shaping a stone. He is thin. His dark hair is shoulder length, held off of his face by a piece of fabric tied around his forehead. He wears a white shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow, and blue pants, torn at the knees. He wears moccasins with ties around his ankles. He is using an ax to shape a block of coquina shell stone that sits on a wooden bench. Spanish Coat of Arms Exhibit. In a glass case is the Spanish Coat of Arms, carved out of a coquina shell stone block.

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Tactile Exhibit

In this room you can learn about the special building materials that makes Castillo de San Marcos NM so unique. We also have the original front door used by the U.S. Army on display.

Last updated: April 9, 2021