Fort Hunt - Alexandria, Virginia - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

This site was originally developed to compliment Fort Washington on the opposite side of the Potomac River, first used in the Spanish American War (though it did not see any action), then a field hospital for veterans during the depression, Civilian Conservation Corp camp, WWII Intelligence Camp and today it is a part of the National Park System providing recreation and historic space for people to enjoy.

The Batteries and lookout tower is all that remains today, the guns were removed long ago and all the housing and other infrastructure has come and gone.

The following is taken from Wikipedia:
Fort Hunt is located along the Potomac River just 11 miles south of Washington, D. C. Its proximity to the Nation's capital dramatically affected the land use history. What occurred on this site frequently mirrored the political and social history of the United States. The site began its existence as a portion of George Washington's River Farm; though it passed out of Washington's family's hands around the beginning of the 19th century, it remained farmland until not long after the American Civil War. A fort was constructed on the site as part of a plan, developed in the 1880s, to expand and strengthen fortifications around the city of Washington. Fort Hunt was planned to complement Fort Washington, located just across the Potomac River in Maryland, and was completed in time for the Spanish–American War, though it did not see action in that conflict. The park was named after Brig. Gen. Henry Hunt, who served as chief of artillery of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. On June 11, 1932 General Douglas MacArthur established a field hospital at Fort Hunt to serve military veterans known as Bonus Marchers who were camped in the Anacostia and Hains Point areas of the District of Columbia. In the 1930s the site was converted into a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. During World War II it was the setting for top secret World War II military intelligence operations (known as "P.O. Box 1142") as well as an interrogation center for high-value prisoners of war. At one time the United States Army ran a school of finance there, but this did not last long. Today, the park is a popular picnic and jogging area. A playground and sports facilities are also available, and the United States Park Police man a substation at the park, as well as stables for their police horses.

Lieutenant Commander Werner Henke, the highest-ranking German officer to be shot while in American captivity during World War II, was killed while attempting an escape from Fort Hunt in June 1944. He was later buried in the post cemetery on Fort Meade, Maryland. In 1980, the remaining structures at the site were added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Fort Hunt Historic District.

The surrounding community of Fort Hunt, Virginia takes its name from the original fort.

Street address: 8999 Fort Hunt Rd, Alexandria, VA 22308 Alexandria, Virginia United States of America 22308 County / Borough / Parish: Fairfax Year listed: 1980 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Military Periods of significance: 1900-1924; 1875-1899; 1925-1949 Historic function: Defense, Fortification Current function: Landscape, Park Privately owned?: no Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Secondary Website 2: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.

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