Greetings from Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine

My cousins live in Baltimore and I’m sure I went to the fort when I was a kid, but I appreciated it much more as an adult in 2010.

Sincerely,
Tracy

Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine

During the War of 1812, British forces sailed to Baltimore, Maryland, intent on attacking the city. But Baltimore was defended by Fort McHenry — a star-shaped fort perfectly situated on the Baltimore Harbor. On the morning of September 13, 1814, the British navy attacked the fort for 25 hours. Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment from a ship in Baltimore harbor and expressed his gratitude and relief at the victory in a poem that became "The Star-Spangled Banner."

State(s): Maryland

Established: 1925

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine

    I teach in Baltimore. Often my students are from very deprived circumstances. They have very little prior knowledge and U.S. History is not a familiar subject to many. I teach a unit on the War of 1812 especially as it relates to Baltimore. We end the unit with a trip…

  • Greetings from Zion National Park

    I live in Texas but I am planning a 9k trip to visit as many national parks in 30 days as I can. I turn 60 in July, so this is how I want to celebrate. I will be posting about the trip on my brand new Harley. My user…

  • Greetings from Yosemite National Park

    I went with my family for my winter break and had a Blast. It felt like I was connected with the nature. We saw wildlife, water falls, huge mountains and we took some pretty amazing photos. I love this place and hope to visit again!

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now