September 28, 2014

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, MD

The ramp that we were supposed to exit on in Baltimore was closed so we were detoured past the M & & Bank Stadium just prior to the Ravens game—how is that for timing!

 

Surprisingly, despite the thousands of fans looking for parking spaces and walking along the street, it didn’t take us long to navigate through the crowds thanks to the large police presence directing traffic.

 

 

We began our visit to Fort McHenry at the Visitor Center where I stamped my passport.  The $7 entrance fee was waived thanks to Monte’s senior pass. 

 

 

 

After watching the short 10-minute orientation film and touring the museum

 

 

 we made our way down to the dock where we paid $10/each before boarding the Mildred Belle.

 

 

 

 

 

It was an absolutely picture-perfect day to be on the water. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following the boat ride we walked the short distance to the Fort and began our tour. 

Fort McHenry is known as “The Birthplace of the American National Anthem.”

The star-shaped fort is best known for its role in the War of 1812 when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy, September 13-14, 1814.

When Major George Armistead, in Baltimore’s preparation for an expected attack on the city, expressed desire for a very large flag to fly over the fort an order was placed with a prominent flag maker for two oversized flags. 

The smaller of the two flags would be the Storm Flag to be more durable and less prone to fouling in inclement weather and the larger flag, the Great Garrison Flag measuring 30 by 42 feet, would be the largest battle flag ever flown at the time.

 

Following the bombardment of the fort, a Washington lawyer, Francis Scott Key seeing the American flag still standing, was inspired to write a poem that would eventually be set to music and become the national anthem. 

 

 

 

The fort was named after James McHenry, an early American statesman.  A Scots-Irish immigrant and surgeon-soldier, McHenry was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland and a signer of the United State Constitution.