Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

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During the Battle of Baltimore in 1814, a lawyer named Francis Scott Key was watching the U.S. flag wave over Fort McHenry. He was inspired to write a poem called the "Star-Spangled Banner."

The only attack the fort ever received came during the War of 1812 in the naval portion of the Battle of Baltimore.

Fort McHenry served as the primary defense for the port of Baltimore until about 1848, when Fort Carroll was constructed further down the Patapsco River.

During the American Civil War, Fort McHenry served as a military prison.

During World War II Fort McHenry served as a Coast Guard base, helping to defend the port of Baltimore.