Last updated: March 11, 2021
Place
The Last Defense Wayside
![At the top left and center, white text against a blue background in English and Spanish reads: The Last Defense. The most vulnerable part of the fort is its entrance in front of you. To protect it, the Spanish designed an elaborate set of defenses: a heavy grated gate called a “portcullis,â€, 2 drawbridges, and the ravelin. The larger drawbridge took 3 soldiers 15 minutes to close and remained open except in times of danger. Soldiers closed the outer drawbridge at night when most of them returned to their homes in the town. The ravelin protected the fort’s front door. End of Text Below, a color illustration of the fort and the drawbridge entrances; text and thin black lines connect to different structural elements. Cut into the left end of the fort’s white wall, is the large drawbridge entranceway. 2 soldiers in white shirts and dark colored pants, face the portcullis, ready to roll it closed. To their right, 3 more soldiers work a hand-crank machine called a windlass. This moved counterweights attached to metal chains that lifted the large brown, 1800-pound wooden, rectangular drawbridge up and away from the connecting planked walkway. On the walkway stand 7 soldiers in blue uniforms, trimmed in red; on their heads, they wear black, 3-cornered hats. One soldier faces the drawbridge as it begins to lift upwards; 6 others stand in the scene, with one of these soldiers holding a tall pole weapon: a silver-colored horizontal axe blade with a spike, mounted on a long, brown staff. At the far-right end of the walkway, 2 men in white shirts and brown knee-length pants, raise a smaller, planked drawbridge. At the top right corner of the panel, a touchable, 10-inch square bronze plaque with raised Spanish coat of arms; below, raised letters and Braille. Below the plaque, black text in English and Spanish reads: This simple version of the Spanish coat of arms above the entrance is very symbolic: • Small cross and orb atop the crown shows the Spanish Empire’s devotion to the Catholic faith. • Castles and lions symbolize the kingdoms of Castile and Leon. • The sheep represents the Order of the Golden Fleece, the highest ranking chivalric order given by the Spanish crown. End of Text At the bottom right, a small circle divided into 4, triangular wedges. Each wedge has a portion of a flag and date range for an important period in the fort's history. 1 wedge is bright, indicating the time period of the panel story and the other three wedges are muted. From the top, moving clockwise: Great Britain: 1763-1784; Spain: 1784 to 1821; the United States: 1821-1900; and Spain: 1672-1763, is bright. Below the circle, white text in English and Spanish reads: First Spanish Military Era. Directly in front of the panel is a brown wooden railing. To the right of the panel and ahead is the wide, wood planked walkway that connects to the fort’s drawbridge entrance; directly above, 2 cannons poke out of artillery positions. Further to the right of the panel is the smaller, secondary drawbridge entrance. To enter the fort from here, turn to your right and then immediately to your left. Move ahead across the walkway and through the open entrance into the fort. Below, and on either side of the walkway, is the grassy moat area. [End of Message]](/common/uploads/place/import/3584d0f7-ca85-44f5-8d75-3fe14c05841d_image_350.jpg)
Quick Facts
Amenities
3 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Tactile Exhibit, Wheelchair Accessible
The most vulnerable part of the fort is its entrance in front of you. To protect it, the Spanish designed an elaborate set of defenses: a heavy grated gate called a "portcullis," 2 drawbridges, and the ravelin. The larger drawbridge took 3 soldiers 15 minutes to close and remained open except in times of danger. Soldiers closed the outer drawbridge at night when most of them returned to their homes in the town. The ravelin protected the fort's front door.