Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006
Superintendent Charles E. Fenwick announces that the National Park Service and Fort Pulaski National Monument will present a special two-day event to commemorate the 144th Anniversary of the Siege & Reduction of Fort Pulaski. The historic battle was fought April 10-11, 1862, and included the use of hard-hitting rifled cannons. Within 30 hours Union forces on nearby Tybee Island breeched the 7-foot-thick walls of Fort Pulaski, demonstrating the power of new, long-range weaponry and signaling the end of masonry fortifications.
On Saturday, April 8, activities inside Fort Pulaski will include hourly cannon demonstrations, living history presentations, ranger talks, and guided fort tours. Activities are scheduled for 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
On Sunday, April 9, activities are scheduled for 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM inside Fort Pulaski. The National Park Service will also be presenting?for the first time in the history of Fort Pulaski National Monument?activities from the Union position during the siege?on nearby Tybee Island. This historic commemoration on Tybee Island is made possible through the invitation and generosity of Ocean Inlet Development, LLC, the Austin Family and the City of Tybee Island. Beginning Sunday at 9:30 AM, Superintendent Fenwick and Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman will lead a short ceremony to welcome visitors to the Tybee Island site. Hourly cannon demonstrations and living history activities will overlook the Savannah River, the Cockspur Lighthouse, and historic Fort Pulaski. The site is near the historic location of the 1862 Union gun batteries. The final Tybee Island demonstration will be at 3:00 PM. National Park Service Living History volunteers will include members of the 22nd Georgia Infantry, 8th Georgia Cavalry, and the 48th New York Infantry.
Fort Pulaski National Monument was established October 15, 1924, by proclamation of President Calvin Coolidge. The area was turned over to the National Park Service on July 28, 1933, by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Fort Pulaski National Monument is on U.S. Hwy 80, 15 miles east of Savannah. The park is open 9-5 daily; park gates close at 5:15 PM. An entrance fee of $3 per person is charged; ages 15 and under are free. All events on Tybee Island are free. The Tybee Island site is located just north of U.S. Hwy 80 and across the street from Catalina Road. It is approximately 2.7 miles from the Fort Pulaski parking lot and 6/10 miles east of the Tybee Bridge. -NPS- The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience their heritage.
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