Since 1834 Fort Morgan has stood as the guardian of Mobile Bay. The military site and National Historic Landmark is located 22 miles west of Gulf Shores.
Construction began in 1819, but due to its isolated location, the fort was not completed until 1834. Skilled masons, many of which were enslaved African Americans, built the fortification which contains more than 46 million cubic yards of bricks.
Fort Bowyer preceded Fort Morgan at Mobile Point. Fort Bowyer was constructed by the U.S. Army during 1813 to guard against possible British attack. This small log and sand fortification was attacked twice by the British during the War of 1812. The first attack made by four British warships and a combined force of British Royal Marines and Creek Indians came on September 15, 1814. The ensuing battle was a total American victory. One warship, the H.M.S. Hermes was sunk, and the marines and Creek Indians were forced to withdraw. During a second battle which took place during early February 1815, a combined British land and naval force forced the vastly outnumbered American troops to surrender the fort. By the terms of the treaty that ended the War of 1812, the British had to return Fort Bowyer to the United States.
