Fort Fanning was built in 1838 during the Second Seminole War. Originally called Palmetto, it was renamed in honor of Colonel Alexander Campbell Wilder Fannin (1788-1846). Because it was made of wood and stood in a warm humid climate, remnants of the actual fort have long since disappeared. Colonel Fannin served under General Andrew Jackson in the First Seminole War, and as a lieutenant at the beginning of the Second Seminole War he was noted for outstanding service when he led a charge in a battle near the Withlacochee River. During the Second Seminole War, his objective was to capture Seminoles for deportation to the West. Until railroads crossed the Suwannee River early in the 20th century, the Fanning Springs area served as the local boat landing, where products such as cotton, lumber, turpentine, and other plantation products were loaded and hauled off while household and farm supplies were received.