Discover the Best Fort McHenry National Monument Tours

The historic Baltimore star-shaped fort was the location of a major American victory during the War of 1812's Battle of Baltimore with those events motivating Francis Scott Key to write the United States national anthem "Star Spangled Banner." The 43-acre Fort McHenry was constructed from 1798-1800 on the site of the former Fort Whetstone. The Americans used the fort to successfully defend Baltimore Harbor from a major attack by the British Navy on Sept. 13, 1814. The fort was a military prison during the Civil War, U.S. Army hospital during World War I and a U.S. Coast Guard Base during World War II. It was designated a national monument in 1925.

Fort McHenry National Monument Overview