Fort Washington Park - Fort Washington MD - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form

Inventory No.: PG:80-16
Other Name(s): Fort Warburton
Date Listed: 10/15/1966
Location: 13551 Fort Washington Road , Fort Washington, Prince Georges County
Category: District
Period/Date of Construction: 1808-1921
Architect/Builder: Architect: T. Maurice, W. K. Armistead

Significance: Fort Washington displays three generations of harbor defense works within the space of a few hundred yards. Although its masonry structure is generally of Third System style, it was planned and begun between the Second and Third phases of coastal fortification design. The second phase refers to forts constructed during the years 1807-1814. The third phase refers to forts constructed or restored between 1817-1867. An earlier fort was located on the site, constructed in 1808 and destroyed by its commander in 1814, during the War of 1812. The fort was named after George Washington, who selected the site as one favorable to the erection of a fortification to protect the new capital city. It is this relationship to the first president and to the emerging capital city which provides the fort's significance in American politics and government. The military engineering and architectural significance of Fort Washington lies in its structures, which represent important stages in the coastal defense system of the United States over a hundred-year period (1815-1921); its archeological resources include remnants of the first fort, constructed in 1808, and the foundations of buildings used to house soldiers outside the four walls. These archeological resources will contribute significant information on the structure of the original fort and on the extent and architectural style of buildings used at various periods to house the troops garrisoned at Fort Washington, particularly during the Endicott Battery period. This significance is enhanced by the geographic location of the fort, which has served as the permanent coastal defense for the capital city during a period when defense of that single site by land and sea was perceived as critical to national security. During the Civil War, forty Marines from the U.S. Navy Yard were ordered to Fort Washington in January 1861. The Union was well aware of the need to protect the capital form hostile and unsympathetic forces in nearby Maryland and Virginia.

Street address: 13551 Fort Washington Road Fort Washington, MD United States 20744 County / Borough / Parish: Prince George's County Year listed: 1966 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Archeology - Non-Aboriginal; Military; Engineering; Politics/Government; Architecture Periods of significance: 1900-1924; 1875-1899; 1850-1874; 1800-1824; 1825-1849 Historic function: Military facility; Fortification Current function: Outdoor recreation Privately owned?: no Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: 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.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   08/16/2022 Don.Morfe visited it