Fort Jefferson National Monument

In collaboration with the National Park Service, Lord Aeck Sargent undertook a comprehensive multi-phase preservation initiative for Fort Jefferson National Monument, located in Dry Tortugas National Park. The project began with an amendment to the Historic Structure Report, which established detailed guidelines for stabilizing the fort's historic masonry and introduced new protocols for future site planning to enhance visitor and staff functions. A key component of the project was the development of a Geographic Information System database, capturing 20 years of project data, including previous restorations and their impacts. This informed the assessment and treatment of the fort’s structures. The team’s recommendations were field-tested through the complete restoration of a bay in the fort’s brick embrasure wall, which provided valuable data for future preservation efforts. This project exemplifies a data-driven approach to historic preservation, integrating technological tools with conservation expertise.