Fort Brooke
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Fort Brooke is a historical military post situated on the east bank (at the mouth) of the Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa, Florida. The Tampa Convention Center currently stands at the site.
Fort Brooke as a Military Outpost
The fort was named after Col. George Mercer Brooke, who on 10 January 1824, lead four full companies of the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment from Pensacola to Tampa Bay to establish a military post. The intent of building the fort is to hinder illegal activity around the area. Shortly after settlement, the adjutant of the War Department named the site Cantonment Brooke, only to have the name change a short time later. Fort Brooke would serve as a major outpost on Florida's Suncoast during all three Seminole Indian Wars and the Civil War. The fort also played a part in the development of the village of Tampa. On 6 May 1864, both Fort Brooke and Tampa were captured by Union Forces. As Tampa slipped backward during the 1870s and early 1880s, so did Fort Brooke. The last roll call of soldiers occurred in 1882 and the post was decomissioned by the United States Army after a long period of inactivity in 1883.Fort Brooke as an incorporated town
Shortly after the post was decomissioned, Fort Brooke became an independent incorporated town in 1885, however, the town's charter dissolved when it was annexed by Tampa in 1907 [link].External links
- [History Time Line of Fort Brooke]: From Tampa Bay History Center
- [Brief Fort Brooke Article]
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