Your morning will begin by visiting downtown Pensacola and discoveringthe city's Civil War past. You'll learn how Pensacola went from being the largest and most prosperous city in Florida to a town largely burnt and destroyed. Your guide will explain how the citizens of Pensacola got caught onto the secessionist sentiment and how President Lincoln and the nation felt the war would begin in Pensacola.
The tour will progress toward the Naval Air Station, which in 1861 was the site of the second largest shipyard in the South and three fortifications. Soon, Pensacola became the most militarized and hotly contested city in Florida. You'll see the battle lines and experience why the Federal enclave became a haven for runaway slaves. Your guide will provide you with expert commentary and will play music from the era to bring this story alive with remarkable clarity, action and strategy. The tour includes a visit to the top of the Pensacola Lighthouse and inside Ft. Barrancas--one of the best preservedCivil War fortsin the South.