WSRE Press Room
DID YOU KNOW?
Interesting Facts About the Gulf Islands National Seashore
Gulf Islands National Seashore is the largest national park in the United States containing a seashore — stretching 160 miles from Okaloosa County to Mississippi.
Two-thirds of Gulf Islands National Seashore is under water. The largest, most common, mammal in this underwater realm is the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.
The stunning sugar white beaches of Gulf Islands National Seashore are composed of fine quartz eroded from granite in the Appalachian Mountains. The sand is carried seaward by rivers and creeks and deposited by currents along the shore.
The Third System fortifications consisted of 42 forts built between 1816 and 1870. They were used to guard all the principal harbors, rivers and naval yards of the United States. Only the Advanced Redoubt of Fort Barrancas at Gulf Islands National Seashore was built entirely for land defense.
In 1828, John Q. Adams designated the Naval Live Oaks Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore as the first United States tree farm. Live oak trees are known for their incredible density and resistance to disease. They provided durable wood for the construction of early naval vessels.
In the 1880s, Geronimo and other members of the Chiricahua-Apache tribe were prisoners at Fort Pickens located at Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Of the seven species of sea turtles, four species nest at Gulf Islands National Seashore. Sea turtle hatchlings instinctively head for areas of brighter light. Artificial lighting causes thousands of hatchling deaths each year.
The 2nd Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards trained on Ship Island and became the first black unit on April 9, 1863 on the Gulf Frontier. They met Confederate forces in battle during a raid on Pascagoula, MS.
Because of the tropical-like conditions, the U.S. Army established the Cat Island War Dog Training Camp in south Mississippi during World War II. A variety of dog breeds were trained to guard, deliver messages and attack the enemy. Cat Island is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Gulf Islands National Seashore is listed as a National Watchable Wildlife Area. The Seashore's diverse habitats provide resting, feeding and nesting areas for a variety of wildlife. Amphibians, reptiles and mammals can be seen on the offshore islands, on the mainland and in the waters of the Seashore.