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as a U.S. Army installation for 180 years, it was decommis- sioned in 2011. Ironically, the fort never saw battle. To discover Fort Monroe’s interesting past, enter the Case- mate Museum. Inside, you can peruse historic military artifacts and permanent and rotating exhibits. You’ll learn about the unusual and important events and inhabitants that set this fortress apart from others. For instance, there’s a room for- merly occupied by author Edgar Allen Poe, a cell that impris- oned Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a com- mander’s living quarters, fit with a wife at a piano. But the fort was better known as “Freedom’s Fortress” be- cause of its anti-slavery stance. During the Civil War, three enslavedmen took a chance and entered the fort. They received sanctuary. Because the fort was in the hands of the Union Army and Virginia was no longer part of the United States, the Fugitive Slave Law was invalid there. Major General Ben- jamin Butler, the fort’s commander, went even further: He mandated that since slaves were considered to be property, they could be held as “contraband.” His decision spread to others in bondage, and hundreds soon found freedom behind Union lines. In 1619, the first Africans came ashore on this Virginia is- land. An historic marker, found on Fenwick Road near Engi- neer Pier, commemorates the significant site. From that van- tage point, you can see Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, that’s been lighting the way since1802. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter SEPTEMBER 2018 41 .....................................................................................................................................................................