Fort Circle Park Hiker-Biker Trail (Fort Circle Parks, DC)

- Civil War Series - The Fort Circle Park Hiker-Biker Trail is part of a broader network of trails and bike routes surrounding Washington, DC that provide access to the Civil War Defenses of Washington, a ring of Civil War era fortifications. Situated east of the Anacostia River, the 6.2-mile stretch described below—unlike the rest …

Continue reading Fort Circle Park Hiker-Biker Trail (Fort Circle Parks, DC)

Fort Washington Loop (Fort Washington Park, MD)

- Civil War Series - Spanning more than 200 years of history, Maryland’s Fort Washington is situated on a picturesque hill overlooking the wide and placid Potomac River, within sight of Washington, DC. The 19th century fort today lies within Fort Washington Park, protected and administered by the National Park Service. Around the brick structure, …

Continue reading Fort Washington Loop (Fort Washington Park, MD)

Fort Washington (Fort Washington Park, MD)

- Civil War Series - The history of Maryland’s Fort Washington spans several of America’s wars, from the War of 1812 through the Civil War and the two World Wars. The first fort on this site, a stone structure constructed in 1809, was short-lived: it was burned and abandoned by its own garrison as the …

Continue reading Fort Washington (Fort Washington Park, MD)

Fort DeRussy Loop (Rock Creek Park, DC)

- Civil War Series - Occupying prime position atop a high hill in northern Washington, DC, Fort DeRussy was mostly quiet during the Civil War. But for two days in July 1864—when Confederate General Jubal Early’s Second Corps attacked the city, the war’s only raid on Washington—the artillerymen at the fort unleashed more than 100 …

Continue reading Fort DeRussy Loop (Rock Creek Park, DC)