This battery was built to protect one of the entrances to Tampa Bay as part of Fort De Soto. It would be unremarkable except for the fact that its coastal mortars are still in place - the only place I have ever seen these.
Bit of history:
Battery Laidley (1900-1931) - Battery Laidley was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort De Soto, Florida. The battery was named in G.O. 78, 15 May 1903 after Col. Theodore T. S. Laidley, Ordnance Department, U. S. Army, who rendered conspicuous service in the Mexican-American War and the U.S. Civil War, and who died April 4. 1886, at Palatka, Florida. Battery construction started November 1898, was completed April 1900 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 8 May 1900 at a cost of $ 155,651.96. Declared surplus 27 Jun 1931.
(from fortwiki - Battery Laidley - FortWiki Historic U.S. and Canadian Forts
First an aerial shot:
Bit of history:
Battery Laidley (1900-1931) - Battery Laidley was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort De Soto, Florida. The battery was named in G.O. 78, 15 May 1903 after Col. Theodore T. S. Laidley, Ordnance Department, U. S. Army, who rendered conspicuous service in the Mexican-American War and the U.S. Civil War, and who died April 4. 1886, at Palatka, Florida. Battery construction started November 1898, was completed April 1900 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 8 May 1900 at a cost of $ 155,651.96. Declared surplus 27 Jun 1931.
(from fortwiki - Battery Laidley - FortWiki Historic U.S. and Canadian Forts
First an aerial shot:
