Place

Hurricane Ivan

Dark water flooding around the brick structures of the fort in the foreground. A black cannon is mounted on top of the fort. Green trees and blue sky in the background.
Fort Pickens after Ivan1

Quick Facts

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking

On September 16, 2004, Hurricane Ivan roared across the Gulf of Mexico with 130-mile-per-hour winds and struck Santa Rosa Island and the national seashore's Fort Pickens Area nearly head-on. A 14-foot storm surge washed across the island, destroying piers and roads, flooding the fort, and damaging most of the park buildings, including the Discovery Center. Curators, conservators, and other specialists quickly went to work sorting, washing, and preserving over 300,000 cultural artifacts that had been on display or in storage on the island. The Discovery Center was put on new footings in 2007.

Gulf Islands National Seashore

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Last updated: August 13, 2021