[3][4] The hill-top fort, connected to a sea level water battery,[5] overlooks Pensacola Bay.

Due to changing requirements, the U.S. Army deactivated Fort Barrancas on April 15, 1947, following World War II.

[4] Following Britain's success over the French in the Seven Years' War, in 1763 it exchanged some territory with Spain and took over West Florida.

[3] Barranca is a Spanish word for bluff, the natural terrain feature that makes this location ideal for the fortress.

When the United States purchased Florida from Spain in 1821, it selected Pensacola as the site for a major Navy Yard, which was developed around the Spanish Fort Barrancas.

Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer, acting commander in Winder's absence, had the troops fire shots meant to repel the militia.

While a small company of soldiers could man the fort successfully, the Confederate Army fortified the position with additional sand batteries along the coast, to be operated by the garrison.

General Braxton Bragg took command of Confederate Pensacola on March 11, 1861, and continued work on the batteries.

Newer weapon technology developed during World War II made coastal defense artillery forts completely obsolete.

Fort Barrancas and the nearby Advanced Redoubt are located on Naval Air Station Pensacola but they are both managed as historic properties by the National Park Service.

Access to Naval Air Station Pensacola by non-Department of Defense affiliated personnel may be subject to homeland security and military force protection concerns.

Visitors must receive permission at the security checkpoint of Naval Air Station Pensacola to pass through the grounds of the base to reach the fort.