One may have noted that Fort Massachusetts is comprised of two distinctly different colors of bricks! When work was started on the fort prior to the Civil War, bricks from Louisiana were used. Once Louisiana seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861, however, it was understandably apprehensive about supplying bricks to the federal government. After the Union had reclaimed the fort, work continued with redder bricks from Maine, which made a lengthy journey indeed. After the war, those Louisiana bricks were used once again.