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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Maryland >> Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine – Maryland tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine – Maryland

Images of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine – Eastern Maryland, taken in June 2022.

During the War of 1812 against the British, the defenses at Fort McHenry were pivotal in repulsing the attack on Baltimore which took place in September of 1814. During that attack Francis Scott Key, watching the bombardment of the fortress from a US truce ship, began to compose the “Star-Spangled Banner” after seeing the 42 by 30-foot US flag still flying over the fort on the morning of September 14th.

Today, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is the only National Park site required to fly a flag 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. During the evening hours a small, properly lit flag flies and each day at 10 a.m. it is changed out for a larger fifteen-star period flag (size depending on the weather and wind conditions). During the ceremony, with the participation of visitors, the larger flag is raised simultaneously with the lowering of the overnight flag. This process is repeated each evening in a flag lowering ceremony.

The original fifteen-star flag which flew over Fort McHenry on the morning of September 14, 1814 is currently displayed in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
Visitor Center wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Visitor Center wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of Fort McHenry from outside the visitor center in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of Fort McHenry from outside the visitor center in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over the Sally Port entrance in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over the Sally Port entrance in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Working exhibition canons in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Working exhibition canons in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Park Service Ranger and local band in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Park Service Ranger and local band in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Volunteers assist with the morning flag change in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Volunteers assist with the morning flag change in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Larger flag rises during morning flag change in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Larger flag rises during morning flag change in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Proceeding with the morning flag change, fifteen-star flag rises, in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Proceeding with the morning flag change, fifteen-star flag rises, in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Larger flag is installed after the morning flag change in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Larger flag is installed after the morning flag change in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over the parade ground in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over the parade ground in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Enlisted Barracks, Junior Officer’s Quarters and Powder Magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Enlisted Barracks, Junior Officer’s Quarters and Powder Magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Sally Port entrance door in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Sally Port entrance door in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over Fort McHenry NM and HS
Looking into the Parade Ground from on the exterior wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Looking into the Parade Ground from on the exterior wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannons mounted on a bastion overlooking the Patapsco River in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannons mounted on a bastion overlooking the Patapsco River in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Parade Ground and Sally Port in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Parade Ground and Sally Port in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of the southeastern facing walls in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of the southeastern facing walls in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Bastion gun battery in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Bastion gun battery in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Bastion and Magazine entryway in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Bastion and Magazine entryway in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Numerous cannons mounted on a bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Numerous cannons mounted on a bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View into the fort from an outside wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View into the fort from an outside wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Closeup of cannons mounted on the wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Closeup of cannons mounted on the wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View into the fort from a bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View into the fort from a bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Large guns mounted on the wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Large guns mounted on the wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Large cannon ravelin and magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Large cannon ravelin and magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Gunpowder kegs stored in the ravelin magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Gunpowder kegs stored in the ravelin magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Sally Port and flag viewed from the steps of the ravelin in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Sally Port and flag viewed from the steps of the ravelin in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Multiple guns on a Patapsco River bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Multiple guns on a Patapsco River bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Large cannons mounted on an exterior wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Large cannons mounted on an exterior wall in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Smaller gun in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Smaller gun in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Multiple guns with the fifteen-star flag in the background in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Multiple guns with the fifteen-star flag in the background in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Powder Magazine and Commanding Officer’s quarters in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Powder Magazine and Commanding Officer’s quarters in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannons mounted on a bastion and magazine entryway in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannons mounted on a bastion and magazine entryway in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Artilleryman on the Parade Ground in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Artilleryman on the Parade Ground in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Francis Scott Key Tablet (dedicated in 1914) in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Francis Scott Key Tablet (dedicated in 1914) in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Powder kegs in the Powder Magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Powder kegs in the Powder Magazine in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Markings on a powder keg in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Markings on a powder keg in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Enlisted Men’s Barracks as seen through a guardhouse window in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Enlisted Men’s Barracks as seen through a guardhouse window in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannon barrels in reserve in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannon barrels in reserve in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Moth on the fort bricks in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Moth on the fort bricks in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of the fort from a bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of the fort from a bastion in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over barracks in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flies over barracks in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannon barrels with fifteen-star flag flying above in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Cannon barrels with fifteen-star flag flying above in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View from outside the fort in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View from outside the fort in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fortress walls with the fifteen-star flag flying above in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fortress walls with the fifteen-star flag flying above in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Closeup of fortress walls with the fifteen-star flag flying above in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Closeup of fortress walls with the fifteen-star flag flying above in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flying above the fortress in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Fifteen-star flag flying above the fortress in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Closeup of fifteen-star flag flying above the fortress in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Closeup of fifteen-star flag flying above the fortress in Fort McHenry NM and HS
Ducks on the Patapsco River at the base of Fort McHenry NM and HS
Ducks on the Patapsco River at the base of Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of the fort from the visitor center observation auditorium in Fort McHenry NM and HS
View of the fort from the visitor center observation auditorium in Fort McHenry NM and HS