Maryland

Fort Washington Park in Fort Washington, MD

Located on the banks of the the Potomac River near Fort Washington, Maryland, Fort Washington was for many decades the only defensive installation protecting the approach to the nation’s capitol. The original fort was completed in 1809 and was named Fort Warburton. During the War of 1812 it was destroyed by its own defenders during a British advance. The current fort is a stone structure with a good cannon shot down the Potomac River. It was constructed in 1824 and extensive remodeling was performed in the 1840s and 1890s. Fort Washington was turned over to the Department of the Interior in 1946, after its last military personnel [...]

Baltimore Museum of Industry

Located in the old Platt Oyster Cannery on the Northwest branch of the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, the Baltimore Museum of Industry has exhibits on various types of manufacturing and industry from the early 20th century. The museum offers several hands-on sections with working equipment and other artifacts. Galleries recreate parts of a cannery, a garment loft from 1900, a print shop, a machine shop from 1900, the pharmacy where Noxzema was invented, as well as exhibits on food industry giants such as McCormick, Domino Sugar and Esskay. The museum was founded in 1977 as part of a project to preserve the industrial history of downtown [...]

Fort McHenry in Baltimore, MD

The star-shaped Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British Navy. It was during this bombardment of the fort that Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem that would eventually be used in the national anthem of the United States. Visitors to the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine begin at the visitor center, where a short orientation film is shown three times per hour. Available for touring are the fort, barracks and related structures. The barracks contain a number of interesting exhibits, such as the enlistmen’s quarters, an electronic map, uniform and weapons displays, the junior officers’ quarters, the powder magazine, commanding officer’s quarters and the 1814 Guard [...]

Clara Barton House in Glen Echo, MD

Clara Barton was a pioneer American teacher, nurse, and humanitarian, best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross. The Clara Barton National Historic Site was established in 1975 at the Glen Echo, Maryland home where she spent the last 15 years of her life. It preserves the early history of the American Red Cross, as the home also served as an early headquarters of the organization. Eleven rooms have been restored, including the Red Cross offices, the parlors and Barton’s bedroom. Guides lead visitors through the three stories, emphasizing Barton’s use of her unique [...]

Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg, MD

The Battle of Antietam was the first major Civil War battle to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000 casualties. Situated on fields among the Appalachian foothills along Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Maryland, the Antietam National Battlefield features the Antietam Battlefield site, a visitor center, a national military cemetery and a field hospital museum. Today, over 330,000 people visit the park [...]

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD

Located in historic St. Michaels, Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum was founded in 1965 on Navy Point, once a site of seafood packing houses, docks, and work boats The 18-acre interactive museum is home to a collection of Chesapeake Bay artifacts, exhibits and vessels. It houses the world’s largest collection of Chesapeake Bay boats, while 35 buildings provide interactive [...]

The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD

The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, sits in the site of the Mount Clare Shops, the oldest railroad manufacturing complex in the United States. Occupying the old Mount Clare Station and adjacent roundhouse, the museum owns one of the most significant collections of railroad treasures in the world and has the largest collection of 19th century locomotives in the U.S. Dating from the beginning of American railroading, the collection includes locomotives and rolling stock, historic buildings and small artifacts documenting the impact of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad on the growth and development of early [...]