The native flora is tropical, principally mangrove, button-mangrove or buttonwood, bay cedar, seagrape, sea-lavender, purslane, and seaoats—all quite characteristic of the lower east coast of Florida. The early residents, however, brought in many plants, including the feathery tamarind, gumbo limbo, Australian-pine, and coconut and date palms. Growing out of the ruins may be a pepper plant that came from a garden in Havana. _About Your Visit_ Fort Jefferson is 68 miles from Key West and is accessible only by boat. Landing of aircraft is prohibited because of the hazards to wildlife. However, there are no other restrictions that would interfere with your enjoyment of a rare experience. The area is an isolated wilderness, and you must provide for your own independent existence—no housing, meals, transportation, or supplies are available. The anchorage is large and well protected, and a landing wharf is available. National Park Service representatives at Fort Jefferson are on duty to enforce regulations and to guide you to the most interesting points in the area. You are required to register at the fort. There is no charge for admission. _Administration_ Fort Jefferson was declared a national monument by Presidential proclamation of January 4, 1935. The monument includes the Dry Tortugas Islands and a surrounding water area of about 75 square miles. Correspondence regarding the monument should be addressed to the Superintendent, Fort Jefferson National Monument, Key West, Fla. [Illustration: FORT JEFFERSON NATIONAL MONUMENT; DRY TORTUGAS; FLORIDA High-resolution Map] [Illustration: U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Seal] United States Department of the Interior Fred A. Seaton, _Secretary_ National Park Service, Conrad L. Wirth, _Director_ Reprint 1958 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1958 O-467962 _The National Park System, of which this area is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and enjoyment of its people._ Transcriber’s Notes —Silently corrected a few typos. —Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication. —In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fort Jefferson National Monument, Florida, by Anonymous