Due to delays caused by hurricane damage, and then the outbreak of the American Civil War, the fort was never garrisoned.

In the 1940s and 1950s, before it was engulfed by Lake Borgne, the ruins of the fort were a popular gathering place for teenagers seeking a spot where they would not be supervised.

[citation needed] The construction of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal in the 1960s cut off all land access to the fort site.

Before Hurricane Katrina, there remained one small piece of dry land inside of the fort.

The fort was unusual in its design for two innovations: the inclusion of comfortable living quarters including bathrooms, and the extensive use of structural iron in its construction.