Fort Gadsden, also known as the Negro Fort, was built by the British during the War of 1812. In 1818 the U.S. government took over and rebuilt the fort, naming it after the lieutenant who supervised the construction.
A testament to the cultural diversity of Florida during the Second Spanish Period, interpretive exhibits and artifacts on the role of Native and African Americans during the early 1800s are displayed at this National Historic Landmark along the banks of the Apalachicola River.
The Fort Gadsden Historic Site was listed as a National Historic Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Fort Gadsden is in the care of the National Forest Service.