Fort McHenry National Monument and Historical Shrine

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Parks by visiting Fort McHenry for the first time.

 The visitor center is a modern structure with a small lecture hall, a mini theater space that is part of a larger room partitioned with a handful of exhibits and artifacts, and a gift shop.

There's a healthy little walk from there to the Fort complex with many placards to read along the way.

 

 There is an area that was formerly part of a much larger series of defensive berms that recreates a portion of those.  There were several costumed re-enactors there and at one point they loaded and fired a cannon.  WOW!  Loud!

 The interior space is completely restored with a series of 4 two-storied buildings use for barracks, officer's quarters, meeting rooms, an infirmary and a kitchen.  Where you enter, there is also a brigg with 3 cells.

 An outer ring of cannons surrounds the southern exposure of the fort.

 There is an area directly across from the main entrance that is called the Reverie and house additional munitions.

 Upon leaving I happened upon a lecture by one of three park rangers on the history of the flag that formed the basis of the poem that is our national anthem.  All things considered, this was the right National Park to visit on the 100th anniversary of our incredible National Park system.