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FORT FREDERICK -
MARYLAND
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Fort Fredrick, Maryland is located off
Interstate 70 at Exit12 on State Route 56 near Big Pool, between Hancock and
Hagerstown. The fort was built by Maryland colony in 1756 to defend western
Maryland from the French and Indians. It was named Frederick after Frederick
Calvert, 6th Lord Baltimore, the colony propriator. It was so strong that it
was never attacked. As the photo shows it was designed on the Vauban format for
a bastioned trace. The reconstruction did not include the original lunettes
outside the curtain walls. The gate is in the southern curtain wall. A faint
trace of the foundation of the north lunette is visible in the grass outside
the northern curtain. Also visible, inside the fort, is the foundation of the
former officer's quarters. The long barracks on the east side now houses
representative rooms on the lower floor and descriptive posters on the second
floor. The barracks on the western side has the long sleeping quarters for
enlisted men. The stone wall is about 3-4 feet thick. According to the park
ranger the archeological effort found raised platform and parapets only in the
south-western and north-eastern bastions.
During the American Revolution the fort was used as a prison camp for captured
British soldiers. After the war, in 1791, the land including the fort was sold
for farming. During the Civil War there were Union troops in the area to guard
the C&O canal but the fort was already in ruins. The fort was bought by
Maryland in 1922 and during the 1930's it was reconstructed as we see now by
Civilian Conservation Corps workers. Now it is the location for much active
recreation and historical re-enactments.
There are living history programs here on weekends in spring and fall, and
every day during the summer. Some of the special events for 2013 are American
Revolutionary reenactors on 6-7 April, The Royal American Regiment and Maryland
Rangers on 13-14 April, two Maryland companies from the French and Indian War
in 11-12 May, Colonial Day in 1 June, the Maryland companies again on 22-23
June, French, British and Indian reenactors on 24-25 August, the two Maryland
companies again in 14-15 September, A Civil War program on 5-6 October, and a
British Army garrison on 2-3 November. There are many other events as well.
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Sign welcoming us to Fort Frederick Maryland.
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Two manikins in the Ft. Frederick visitor's
center in uniforms of colonial Maryland in 1750's.
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A Confederate cannon and two manikins in the
visitor's center
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A manikin in uniform of colonial troops
during the American Revolution
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A manikin in uniform of the 77th Regiment of
Foot - Scots - during American Revolution
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A manikin dressed as an American Indian in
late 1700's.
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An aerial view of Fort Frederick showing the
fort and the gift shop to its left and a CCC building at base of photo.
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A sign near the Visitor's Center describing
Lee's invasion of Maryland in 1863, which passed near Ft. Frederick.
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We approach the north-west corner of the fort
on the path from the visitor's center through a woods.
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The north-west bastion and western and
northern curtain walls.
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Closer to the north-west bastion - the roof
of one barracks is visible behind the western curtain.
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The gift shop at Fort Frederick
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The western curtain wall of Fort Frederick
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The western curtain wall of Fort Frederick
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The south-west bastion of Fort Frederick with
southern curtain and the south-east bastion beyond.
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The corner wall of the south-west bastion
showing how high it is.
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Fort Frederick - Part of the southern curtain
wall with gate and the south-east bastion on the right.
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The narrow but high gate in the southern wall
of Fort Frederick.
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The eastern barracks building=reconstructed
in Fort Frederick.
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Fort Frederick - Inside showing the
south-east bastion
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Fort Frederick - Inside showing the
south-east bastion
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Fort Frederick - close up view of east
barracks
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Fort Frederick - room on first floor of east
barracks with barrels for storage
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Fort Frederick - typical fire place in each
room of east barracks.
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Room on first floor of east barracks of Fort
Frederick with washing basins and laundry
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Room on first floor of east barracks of Fort
Frederick with table and food storage
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Room on first floor of east barracks with
cots and uniform
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Dining room on first floor of east barracks
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Dining room on first floor of east barracks
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Another individual quarters in east barracks
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Storage room on first floor of east barracks
with barrels and weapons.
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Fort Frederick - view of west barracks from
second floor of east barracks.
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Fort Frederick - display on second floor
showing the look of the fort now
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Display describing the sttlement of the Fort
Frederick area by Europeans in the 1700's
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Fort Frederick - display on second floor
describing the creation of the fort in 1756-63
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Display describing the rivalry between
England and France over North America
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Display showing some of the uniforms worn by
troops at Fort Frederick
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Display describing daily life at Fort
Frederick
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Fort Frederick - display on second floor
describing the use of the fort during the American Revolution
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Map showing the English colonies in 1756
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Display describing the construction of Fort
Frederick by Governor Horatio Sharpe in 1756 -the diagram indicates that the
original fort had lunettes outside the curtain walls and 5 bastions.
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Ddisplay describing Fort Frederick during the
American Revolution
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Display describing the Fort Frederick area
during the Civil War
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Display noting Fort Frederick during the
American Civil War
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Display of typical farm tools useful at Fort
Frederick when the area became a farm.
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Display describing some uses of Fort
Frederick when it was part of a farm.
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Display describing Fort Frederick as it
became a Maryland state park in the 1920's
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Display depicting archeological work during
the reconstruction of Fort Frederick
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Display showing re-enactors today
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Inside the north-east bastion - a well in
foreground
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Another view of the east barracks of Fort
Frederick
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Inside the north-west bastion at Fort
Frederick
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One of the enlisted barracks quarters in west
barracks.
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Another of the enlisted barracks quarters in
west barracks.
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The third of the enlisted bunk rooms in the
west barracks of Fort Frederick - this one complete with bedding and other
equipment.
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A re-enactor taking a break on the porch of
the west barracks at Ft Frederick
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Two re-enactors at Ft Frederick
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Inside the gate of Fort Frederick
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The CCC museum at Ft Frederick - the fort was
reconstructed by the CCC during the Depression.
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The south-west bastion of Fort Frederick with
north-west and south-east bastions
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The gift shop store at Fort Frederick
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