In Defense of the Nations Capital
On forested hills surrounding the nation's capital are the remnants of a complex system of Civil War fortifications. Built by Union forces, these strategic buttresses transformed the young capital into one of the world's most fortified cities.
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Forts of Washington
Although many of the fortifications have crumbled away, their intriguing and compelling stories are very much a part of our national history.
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Urban Planning for Recreation
The McMillan Plan of 1902 recognized the recreational potential in the pattern of open spaces of the circle of Civil War defenses...
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Natural Resource Protection
The National Park Service Civil War Defenses of Washington sites preserve significant natural features...
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Did You Know?
Battleground National Cemetery is aptly named. The cemetery grounds were part of the battlefield when Confederate troops under the command of Gen. Jubal Early attacked Washington, D.C. on July 11 – 12, 1864.