While you can drive to Ft. McHenry, if you are going from Washington, you can take the MARC train Camden Line and the #1 Bus or a water taxi to get there.

We arrive and discuss logistics and opening times, then Julie talks about the history of the fort.(2:58)

We visit the statue of Orpheus. (7:38)

We play The Star Spangled Banner, performed by the U.S. Army Band (9:13)

We visit the visitor's center, and talk about the role of Ft. McHenry in the War of 1812, and then check out the statue of Colonel Armistead, the man who ordered a huge flag to fly over the Fort during the war. (10:30)

At the entrance to the Fort, we check out the Ravelyn and the underground shelters. Julie talks about the life of Francis Scott Key and the writing of the poem "Defense of Ft. McHenry" which became the "Star Spangled Banner." (14:12)

We visit the Quarters of the Commanding Officer, where we read some of the verses of the original poem "the Defense of Ft. McHenry". (19:03)

We play The Star Spangled Banner, performed by the Band of the US Air Force Reserve (22:17)

We visit the powder chamber, and the junior officer's quarters, and Julie talks about the construction of Ft. McHenry. We dscover that there are a group of people unfurling a replica of the Star Spangeled Banner in the parade ground. We join them. (24:59)

In the next building we see the original cross brace that anchored the flagpole during the bombardment of Ft. McHenry, and Julie talks about African-Americans in the war of 1812, especially William Williams. (32:59)

We head out around the edge of the fort, and walk around the bastions (or points of the stars), then visit the Enlisted men's quarters before ending our visit to Ft. McHenry.(36:21)

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• feedback@washingtontravelcast.net
• Julie@washingtontravelcast.net
• Mark@washingtontravelcast.net

Our Theme Music is Garden Walk by Kim Evans and our walking music today was from Find Me by H. Logo design is by Kathleen Hamm at Hamm Multimedia.

Check out the Fort and the Flag in our Ft. Mc Henry Photo Album.