Fort Jefferson National Monument

Lord Aeck Sargent collaborated with the National Park Service to preserve Fort Jefferson National Monument, a key historical site in Dry Tortugas National Park. Constructed in the mid-19th century, the fort was originally built to protect one of the most strategic deep-water anchorages in North America. Although never fully completed, it served as a military outpost, a prison during the Civil War, and later as a coaling station. The project began with an amendment to the Historic Structure Report (HSR), establishing guidelines for stabilizing the fort’s aging masonry and creating a framework for future site planning, aimed at improving visitor experience and staff functions. Lord Aeck Sargent also developed a Geographic Information System (GIS) database to document the past two decades of preservation efforts. A full-scale mock-up was implemented to test masonry restoration techniques on one bay of the brick embrasure wall, ensuring that future treatments remain true to the fort's historical fabric while addressing its long-term preservation.