Our next adventure involved driving east to Pensacola. We arrived in less than forty-five minutes at the entrance gate to the Naval Air Station. After checking all of our ID’s we were able to drive around the base. Pensacola is home to naval aviation’s birthplace, with roots dating back to 1913 when a special survey board recommended the city as a training site for the new combat arm. It currently employs more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel.
We decided to climb the lighthouse first. It was built in 1859 and located right across the street from the National Naval Aviation Museum. The fully restored Keepers’ Quarters, built in 1869, is home to the Richard C. Callaway museum, which houses numerous exhibits on local history and the lighthouse itself.
Mom decided to wait outside for us, so we started up the stairs without her. We only stopped two times to catch our breath and check our pulses. The views at the top were worth the effort.
A very talkative military retiree was sitting at the top and he enjoyed chatting about the naval base and the history of the lighthouse. You can say he definitely had a “captive” audience.
The current lighthouse stands 151 feet tall (and 191 feet above sea level), and boasts a first-order Fresnel lens, the most powerful lens available at the time. The light can be seen twenty-seven miles away by ship.
The top of the tower offers stunning views of Pensacola Pass (where Pensacola Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico), three historic forts, the Pensacola skyline, and the historic Navy Yard. We were able to see the Orange Beach skyline as well.
After the vigorous climb up the lighthouse, we drove over to Fort Barrancas, also located on the military property. This is a National Park so we were able to use our annual pass for entry.
The inner and outer walls were called scarp and counterscarp. The scarp gallery is a series of arches that supported the sand and allowed access to the loopholes for muskets. Vents at the top allowed smoke from the guns to escape.
I am thrilled that a lot of historic places are adding modern technology to their tours. Some places offer an app you can download or signs with a QR code at the various points of interest. All you need is your phone to listen to a narrator. Easy peasy!
Spanish troops recaptured Pensacola from the British during the American Revolution in 1781. At this time, the Spanish built new fortifications on the barrancas: San Carlos de Barrancas and Bateria de San Antonio (the water battery). Cannon fire from the water battery skipped over the surface of the bay to hit ships at the waterline.
The brick part of the fort was constructed between 1839-1844 to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard. Due to changing requirements, the U.S. Army deactivated Fort Barrancas on April 15, 1947 following World War II.
Our next stop was the National Naval Aviation Museum. It is considered the world’s largest Naval Aviation museum and one of the most-visited museums in the state of Florida. We just had to check it out!
Inside the museum you will find 150 restored aircraft: an array of gallant fighters like the Hellcat, which smashed the Japanese Zero squadrons in World War II; hardy workhorses such as the C-130 Hercules, known as Fat Albert; and the daring (and lifesaving) rescue aircraft like the Coast Guard’s Albatross.
The historic and one-of-a-kind military aircraft are displayed both inside the Museum’s nearly 350,000 square feet of exhibit space and outside on its 37-acre grounds. Darin immediately headed upstairs in the main building to find the simulators.
The Museum also tells the human side of Naval Aviation and features memorabilia from each era of fighting, including personal mementos from historic battles, flight logs, vintage equipment and flight uniforms.
The Navy’s famed Blue Angels flight team practices over museum skies (also viewable from the lighthouse) most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between March and November, weather permitting. I am bummed that we will be out of this area by March.
It was an interesting and informative way to spend the day. We only paid to climb the lighthouse and everything else had no entrance fee since we had the park pass. If you want to ride a simulator or see an IMAX movie, then bring some extra cash. We did both and made the most of our visit. Until next time Pensacola….
