Fort McHenry: Inspiration to a young nation
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, important in four American wars, is best known as the inspiration for the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." The star-shaped fort, built between 1799 and 1802, was named for a secretary of war under George Washington.
Visitors to Fort McHenry will find the volunteer Fort McHenry Guard, which transports visitors back two centuries. Dressed in early 19th century costumes, the Guard conducts drills, barracks activities, artillery and musket-firing demonstrations, civilian activities and children's programs.
During the War of 1812, Fort McHenry defended Baltimore Harbor from a fierce British attack, successfully repelling the British despite all odds during the Battle of Baltimore. Early on Sept. 13, 1814, the British Navy, having sailed into from Chesapeake Bay, began bombarding Fort McHenry, poised at the mouth of Baltimore Harbor, and continued for 25 hours.
Francis Scott Key, a lawyer from Washington, D.C., had come to Fort McHenry to negotiate the release of a prisoner from British custody. Key was stunned when, at the end of the shelling, Fort McHenry's 30-by-42-foot flag emerged virtually unharmed. An emotional Key composed a poem, "The Defence of Fort McHenry," which eventually became the lyrics to the American national anthem. (Despite surviving bombardment during the Battle of Baltimore, that flag has deteriorated to the point that it is now housed under special conditions at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.)
Fort McHenry was a military prison, housing Confederate prisoners of war and Maryland politicians who were overly sympathetic to the Southern cause. The fort became a military hospital in World War I and a Coast Guard base in World War II.
The fort became a national park in 1925.
Adding to Fort McHenry's popularity with tourists, the fort is accessible by the Inner Harbor's Water Taxi.
The City of Baltimore commemorates the Battle of Baltimore each September with a weekend of programs, events and fireworks.
The fort is located just three miles southeast of Baltimore's Inner Harbor and just off Interstate 95. Admission is $7 for those 16 and older; those 15 and younger get in free. Both the Visitor Center and Fort McHenry itself are accessible to wheelchairs.
Students and their teachers on field trips can get in free with an application, but arrangements must be made at least two weeks in advance. The National Park Service makes lesson plans and teacher guides available online.
For groups tours, call (410) 962–4290, extension 243, Monday afternoon from 12:30 to 4 p.m.; Wednesday morning from 9 a.m. to noon, or Friday morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- by Ivonne Rovira, Baltimore Reporter for HelloMetro
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Ivonne RoviraA graduate of the prestigious Columbia University School of Journalism in New York City, Ivonne Rovira worked as a reporter for the Miami News, The Miami Herald and The Associated Press. She has written articles for The National Catholic Reporter and The Courier-Journal. For more than 15 years, Ivonne wrote and edited articles aimed at middle-school children.
