Prevent the Second Destruction of Pilot Town

Pilot Town on Ft. Morgan Peninsula is a significant, historical site of archeological and environmental importance. From as early as 500 B.C. the site was inhabited by Native Americans, it was settled by Spaniards in the mid-1700's and was the site of a U.S. Navy Base during the War of 1812. The settlement of Bar Pilots in the early 1800's was destroyed during the deadly hurricane of September, 1906. It is the site of many shell mounds and we feel many unmarked graves of Native Americans, African-Americans and Caucasians. Older area residents tell of a large whites-only cemetery and a smaller blacks-only cemetery. The Ft. Morgan Peninsula provides habitat for many endangered and threatened species and this site is part of the acquisition boundary of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. It is home to a broad diversity of plants and animals and provides an important resting and foraging stop for migrating birds. The property is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and we feel the appropriate future for this land is preservation in its natural state.