Abandoned Florida: Sunshine Sentinels

Abandoned Florida: Sunshine Sentinels is a stunning visual survey of Florida’s historic coastal defenses–those sun-faded outposts of empire, crumbling now on shifting sands near the end of the beach.

Discover the past and present of conquest and defense in the Sunshine State, documented in 140 images of gritty ruin and glorious restoration–ranging from the coquina confines of Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine to the towering casemates of far-flung Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas; from the shattered hulk of Fort Pickens in Pensacola to the cracked concrete batteries of Fort Dade in Tampa Bay; from the carefree garden spot of West Martello Tower in Key West to the paranoiac isolation of nuclear-powered HM-69 Nike Missile Base deep in the Everglades.

Author Thomas Kenning delivers a vivid account of Florida’s past that spans centuries, deftly blending history and urban exploration on a guided tour through Florida’s many moments in the sun–from Spanish foothold to Indian removal, and Civil War blockade to Cold War flashpoint.