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Fort Washington Park

1809 establishments in MarylandAmerican Civil War on the National Register of Historic PlacesCivil War defenses of Washington, D.C.Civilian Conservation Corps in MarylandCoastal fortifications
Forts in MarylandForts on the National Register of Historic Places in MarylandHistoric American Buildings Survey in MarylandHistoric districts on the National Register of Historic Places in MarylandIUCN Category IIIMilitary and war museums in MarylandMuseums in Prince George's County, MarylandNRHP infobox with nocatNational Capital Parks-EastNational Park Service areas in MarylandNational Register of Historic Places in Prince George's County, MarylandParks in Prince George's County, Maryland
Cannon outside Fort Washington, MD
Cannon outside Fort Washington, MD

Fort Washington, located near the community of Fort Washington, Maryland, was for many decades the only defensive fort protecting Washington, D.C. The original fort, overlooking the Potomac River, was completed in 1809, and was begun as Fort Warburton, but renamed in 1808. During the War of 1812, the fort was destroyed by its own garrison during a British advance. The current historic fort—maintained by the National Park Service—was initially constructed in 1824. It is a stone structure with a good cannon shot down the Potomac River. The fort was extensively remodeled in the 1840s and 1890s. The Fort was turned over to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1946 after its last military personnel departed.The expansive grounds of the present Fort Washington Park, with its extensive hiking/bicycle paths and river view, are a scenic venue for picnicking, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Historical re-enactments are held periodically at the Fort, and there is a small museum. In 2006, repairs were done to shore up the crumbling outer wall, in preparation for the 200th anniversary. The Fort Washington Light, located below the fort, was established in 1857. The current tower, standing 28 feet tall, was constructed in 1882.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Fort Washington Park (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Fort Washington Park
Ft Washington River Trail,

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Wikipedia: Fort Washington ParkContinue reading on Wikipedia

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Latitude Longitude
N 38.710833333333 ° E -77.033055555556 °
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Fort Washington

Ft Washington River Trail
22308
Maryland, United States
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Cannon outside Fort Washington, MD
Cannon outside Fort Washington, MD
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P. O. Box 1142
P. O. Box 1142

P.O. Box 1142 was a secret American military intelligence facility that operated during World War II. The American Military Intelligence Service had two special wings, known as MIS-X and MIS-Y. The MIS-X program focused upon the escape and evasion activities of Prisoners of War (POWs) held by the United States in Europe. MIS-Y's core duty was to interview the POWs. They were known by their codename, the mailing address "P.O. Box 1142." Many of the interrogators were Jewish immigrants who had fled Germany as children. These men were chosen due to their understanding of the German language and culture as well as their personal interest in defeating the Nazis.Notable prisoners housed at the facility included rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, spymaster Reinhard Gehlen, and Heinz Schlicke, inventor of infrared detection. German U-boat commander Werner Henke was also a prisoner, but was fatally shot when he tried to escape by climbing the fence.P.O. Box 1142 was started in 1942 based in Fort Hunt, Virginia, formerly part of George Washington's farmlands. German scientists, submariners and soldiers were questioned. P.O. Box 1142 obtained valuable intelligence from German POWs and also communicated with Allied POWs overseas. The camp was in violation of the Geneva Convention because the Red Cross was not notified of the transfer or location of the prisoners, but according to the surviving wardens, torture was not used.The work done at Fort Hunt contributed to the Allied victory of World War II. It also led to advances in scientific technology and military intelligence that directly influenced the Cold War. In 1946 the 100 barracks, ringed by barbed wire and watch towers, were bulldozed, and the existence revealed to the public only in the early 2000s, when the National Park Service uncovered parts of the fort's history. In October 2007, a group of the former intelligence workers gathered for the first time since the war's conclusion, and a flagpole and plaque recognizing their contributions were dedicated on the original grounds.