In 1838, with the Second Seminole War dragging into its third year and no end in sight, the U.S. Army erected Fort Fanning a few miles downstream from Old Town. Placed on the east bank by an important river crossing, the post was well-situated for its role as a supply depot as well as for staging raids and sending out search parties for hostile warriors. Ravaged by disease, Ft. Fanning was abandoned soon after the war ended in 1842. Today, Ft. Fanning Historic Park sits on the site — a memorial to the fort and the men who served there.
In 1993, the state purchased the land and in 1997 the Florida Park Service became the caretaker.