Fort Mason Rouge, Texas
Fort Maison Rouge, Texas was the home and citadel of pirates Jean and Pierre Laffite situated on the gulf coast.
Built in 1817, the block-long site was once armed with 36-pound cannons inside and a battery of 42-pounders outside. Jean Lafitte’s home was luxuriously furnished with booty from captured ships. The pirates; however were run out in 1821, but before leaving they burned their homes, buildings, and the fort itself, before sailing to Yucatan. What was left was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1800s.
Jean Lafitte, pirate
In 1870, a new structure was built over old cellars and foundations of Maison Rouge. Today, that building, too, is in ruins. The site is designated by a Texas Historical marker. It is located in Galveston, Texas.
© Kathy Weiser-Alexander, updated February 2020.
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