{"id":"nps-cwdw","slug":"civil-war-defenses-of-washington","name":"Civil War Defenses of Washington","designation":"Unit of the National Park System","category":"other","categoryLabel":"Other Designation","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"CWDW","designation":"Unit of the National Park System","sourceId":"nps-cwdw"}],"states":["DC","MD","VA"],"stateNames":["District of Columbia","Maryland","Virginia"],"location":{"lat":38.9644,"lon":-77.0292},"bbox":null,"acres":null,"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"On forested hills surrounding the nation's capital are the remnants of a complex system of Civil War fortifications. These strategic buttresses transformed the young capital into one of the world's most fortified cities. By 1865, 68 forts and 93 batteries armed with over 800 cannons encircled Washington, DC. Today, you can visit 18 of the original sites now managed by the National Park Service.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/cwdw/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":null,"recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Civil%20War%20Defenses%20of%20Washington","directions":"https://www.nps.gov/cwdw/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2A3BC9B2-F7EE-D4D7-D2D04493DDE867D6.jpg","title":"Where Abraham Lincoln Stood","alt":"A woman in a 19th-century dress stands along an earthwork fortification","caption":"A woman in period clothing takes in the modern day view from a spot near where Abraham Lincoln stood and watched the Battle of Fort Stevens unfold in July of 1864.","credit":"NPS Photo / Buddy Secor","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/E6C02E26-E3F6-9D3B-898FA345B581B896.jpg","title":"History at Sunset","alt":"Park Ranger delivering a program to visitors.","caption":"History at Sunset at Fort Stevens Park, 2021.","credit":"NPS/S.Phan","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/E709D662-E09B-D2CA-0D845DB9F7470E58.jpg","title":"The Civil War Defenses Then & Now","alt":"Historic image of Fort Totten on layered on modern image.","caption":"Fort Totten Then & Now","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Arts and Culture","Theater","Biking","Mountain Biking","Road Biking","Food","Picnicking","Guided Tours","Self-Guided Tours - Walking","Self-Guided Tours - Auto","Hiking","Living History","First Person Interpretation","Junior Ranger Program","Wildlife Watching","Park Film"],"topics":["Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite","National Cemetery","Enslavement","Forts","Industry","Mills","Laborer and Worker","Military","Infantry and Militia","Artillery","Battlefields","Monuments and Memorials","Reconstruction","Social Movements","Civil Rights","Wars and Conflicts","Civil War","Animals","Birds","Trails"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Rock Creek Park sites","description":"The park grounds at Battery Kemble, Battleground National Cemetery, Fort Bayard, Fort Bunker Hill, Fort DeRussy, Fort Reno, Fort Slocum, Fort Stevens, and Fort Totten are managed by Rock Creek Park\n\nThese sites are open daily from dawn to dusk.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","monday":"Sunrise to Sunset","thursday":"Sunrise to Sunset","sunday":"Sunrise to Sunset","tuesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","friday":"Sunrise to Sunset","saturday":"Sunrise to Sunset"},"exceptions":[]},{"name":"National Capital Parks — East sites","description":"The park grounds at Fort Carroll, Fort Chaplin, Fort Davis, Fort Dupont, Fort Foote, Fort Greble, Fort Mahan, Fort Ricketts, and Fort Stanton are managed by National Capital Parks — East. These sites are open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","monday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","thursday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","sunday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","tuesday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","friday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","saturday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM"},"exceptions":[]},{"name":"George Washington Memorial Parkway site","description":"The park grounds at Fort Marcy are managed by George Washington Memorial Parkway. This site is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","monday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","thursday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","sunday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","tuesday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","friday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM","saturday":"6:00AM - 10:00PM"},"exceptions":[]}],"directions":"Directions vary based on your preference of site.","weatherInfo":"Check the weather forecast for each individual site for accurate information.","contacts":{"phone":"202-895-6000","email":"rocr_superintendent@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"rock-creek-park","km":2},{"slug":"african-american-civil-war-memorial","km":5},{"slug":"carter-g-woodson-home-national-historic-site","km":6},{"slug":"mary-mcleod-bethune-council-house-national-historic-site","km":6},{"slug":"belmont-paul-womens-equality-national-monument","km":8},{"slug":"constitution-gardens","km":8}],"hasBoundary":false,"boundarySource":null,"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=cwdw"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.610Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Park Closure","title":"Part of Fort Totten Park remains closed for public safety","text":"Out of an abundance of caution, Fort Totten Park will remain closed east of Fort Totten Drive, south of Gallatin Street/Metropolitan Branch Trail and north of Brookland Ave NE/Farragut St. due to the investigation involving two WWI-era munitions found.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/rocr/learn/news/2023-11-09-fort-totten-park-update.htm","updated":"2024-11-08 15:38:29.0","id":"nps-0647D4FC-D302-4407-8016-0703733BDB63"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/civil-war-defenses-of-washington/","boundaryUrl":null}