| (May 1956–PRESENT) BACKSTORY: From the 1956 park brochure: “At the far end of Wilderness Road stands Fort Wilderness—the outpost of civilization. The time is the War of 1812…the United States flag has only 15 stars. Within the gates there is a Canteen and Trading Post—stocked with pelts, guns, knives, and Indian craft. In the Regimental Hdqrs., Davy Crockett and George Russell, U.S. Army Scouts, can be seen reporting to Maj. General Andrew Jackson during the Cherokee Indian Campaign. From the parapets and block houses can be seen the vast untamed American wilderness…the deer, moose, bear and wildlife of the primitive forest. Beyond the stockade are tepees…hostile Indians on the warpath. A settler’s cabin burns in the distance…mute evidence of a treacherous attack.”
With the “opening” of Tom Sawyer’s Island, rafts provided transportation from a dock near the Chicken Plantation restaurant to the old “Tom’s Landing” location between the island’s grist mill and fishing pier. Fort Wilderness was one of the original features of Tom Sawyer Island and was built from actual logs. Due to improper maintenance over the years and the fact that termites love wood, the Fort eventually became a casualty. In January 2001, a 6-year-old girl lost most of a finger when she slipped while playing with one of the toy rifles in the rifle roost. The rife roost was boarded up. Fort Wilderness stayed open, but it was becoming evident that Tom Sawyer Island needed some care. In 2003, Tom Sawyer Island received a rehab to improve it and make it safer. Sadly, Fort Wilderness was closed and never reopened, only to be used by performers of Fantasmic! as a costuming area. The walls were reinforced with wooden framing beams within the fort to help it keep standing. Finally, the original Fort was torn down in 2007 and has been rebuilt, albeit with a somewhat different design. It is still closed to the public, and most likely will continue to be a facility for cast members and storage.
Most photos available for purchase as enlargements; email your request. To view photos, allow popups in your web browser & click thumbnails below. The copy and graphics below are from a 1957 Tom Sawyer Island brochure. |
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
