Dry Tortugas is an island off of Key West that was first discovered by Europeans in 1513, around the same time as the rest of the Florida Keys. Those Europeans happened to be the party of the famous explorer Ponce de Leon. The name of this island is unusual but perfectly logical, once you know where it comes from.

The water around the island is home to a large number of turtles. The Spanish word for "turtles" is, predictably enough, "tortugas." So where does the "dry" come from? Well, all that water happens to be salt water and when Ponce de Leon first made it there, he and his crew needed fresh water to drink and since there was none around, the area was described as "dry."

Facts about Dry Tortugas, Aside from the Interesting Name
Aside from being the home to turtles, Dry Tortugas is also the island home of a fortress called Fort Jefferson. It was built in the 1800s to help protect American shores, but before the fort could be finished, new technology outmoded its design. The newly invented rifled cannon made the traditional cannons that were to be used at Fort Jefferson obsolete.

However, since the fort still stands to this very day, it makes for a wonderful place to sightsee. It's an interesting combination of civilization and nature, combining in such a beautiful setting. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt made the island and the surrounding waters a national monument. In 1992, the area became, officially, the Dry Tortugas National Park.

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