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Fort McHenry➤

Fort McHenry gained fame during the War of 1812, when it defended Baltimore Harbor from a British naval attack. The U.S. military built the fort in 1798 and continued to use it through World War II. In 1925, Congress designated it as a national park. And in 1939, they re-designated it as a ‘National Monument and Historic Shrine.’

The morning after a decisive War of 1812 battle, American soldiers raised a large 14-star flag over Fort McHenry. Seeing it through the smoke inspired Francis Scott Key to write Defence of Fort M’Henry. Later set to music, it became The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem.

It’s a tradition for newly designed American flags to be flown first over Fort McHenry. The original 49- and 50-star flags were both raised here, and the fort still preserves those historic flags. The Star-Spangled Banner that currently flies over the fort is a replica of the one that inspired Francis Scott Key.

The fort sits in an industrial area outside Baltimore. If you’re driving, use directions from nps.gov—GPS can be unreliable off the highway. You can also take the ferry from Inner Harbor, but it’s only a return trip. The city doesn’t allow you to use the fort’s lot for free city parking. You can see my post on Baltimore National Heritage Area by clicking here.

A Hot Visit➤

We visited on a sweltering 100-degree day with young children. It was too hot for them to do the Junior Ranger activities, so we started with the short film in the air-conditioned visitor center. It’s only about ten minutes long, but surprisingly moving as well as informative.

We checked out some interesting exhibits in the visitor center. Did I mention the air conditioning? And that it happened to be the hottest weekend of the summer? The exhibits were cool—literally.

Then we braved the swampy inferno and made our way out to the fort to check out the cannons and the Star-Spangled Banner replica. Thankfully, there were plenty of rangers around—perfect for answering the kids’ many questions, which they did with enthusiasm.

Location: 2400 E Fort Ave, Baltimore, Maryland
Designation: National Monument
Date designated/established: March 3, 1925
Date of my visit: July 17, 2013