Image designed by the National Park Service. Love national parks? There's a holiday for that! Join us for National Park Week happening April 19 to April 27 to celebrate everything "parks." There are more than 400 national parks of different shapes, sizes, and kinds to experience. Also discover what the National Park Service does to preserve natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities in communities across the country—and even the world! Five Easy Ways to Celebrate
2025 Theme: National Park Playlist Drum roll, please! This year's theme of National Park Playlist celebrates musical connections to national parks and the American story. Are you ready to press play on an amazing visit to a national park?
National Park Week is here! Come help us kick things off with a FEE FREE day today, April 19, 2025.
This year's theme of National Park Playlist celebrates musical connections to national parks and the American story. Lucky for us, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine can claim THE song of America as our greatest hit! As a song, “The Star-Spangled Banner” tells a very specific story and gives us an eyewitness’ perspective of the Battle of Baltimore. As an anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” has become a popular and often stirring icon, representing the voice of the American people. On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed into law House Resolution 14, making “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national anthem. Since then, it has continued to be performed in a variety of settings including ceremonies, sporting events, and organized protests. Moreover, the great variety of musicians who have performed the national anthem have made it truly national, bringing to the song a breadth of voices, personal experiences, and musical styles that reflect the nation. Performers such as Jose Feliciano, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Faith Hill, Lady Gaga, and Whitney Houston have brought a variety of styles to performing a very challenging piece that is not only musically difficult but is steeped in over 200 years of history and an important part of American culture. View post on Facebook. Today, we want to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of our park: the maintenance team!
It's #Alternative day of National Park Week 2025 and we wanted to highlight some the positions that people may not think about when they think of Park Rangers. While you may not always see them out and about, their hard work is essential in maintaining the harmony and beauty of our treasured landscapes. Our maintenance department is broken down into four major sections:
View post on Facebook. The British really thought they popped off with this one... 💥
During the War of 1812, Congreve rockets were quite POP-ular with the British forces. These fiery projectiles made a dramatic entrance on the battlefield and were intended to instill fear and chaos among American troops and citizens. However, by the time the rockets made an appearance at Fort McHenry, the word was out that the fearsome weapons packed way more pop than actual punch. Fort-unately, the Congreve rockets were largely inaccurate. For all the rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air, the damage was relatively minimal. As we celebrate Pop Day of #NationalParkWeek let this be an important reminder that loudest doesn't always mean best. View post on Facebook. Oh-oh, swimmin' on a prayer! 🦆 Take my wing, we'll make it, I swear!
Happy Ducking Earth Day! 🌍💚 Naturally, the theme of the day is #NatureSongs so please enjoy these few seconds of uninterrupted, peaceful sounds of water lapping at our sea wall and riprap. When you stroll the Sea Wall Trail or relax on our lawns, it can be hard to believe you’re in a major metropolitan city like Baltimore! That’s the magic of urban green spaces, which provide essential habitats for wildlife, improve air quality, and offer an outdoor sanctuary for city goers. View post on Facebook. Riprap Rocks! 🎸🤘
Ranger James is here to tell us that while it may have a silly name, riprap serves an important function along our waterways! This rugged stone barrier is essential for preventing erosion and safeguarding shorelines and riverbanks from the relentless forces of nature. Rock us like a hurricane? Not if riprap has anything to say about it! View post on Facebook. How heavy do you like your metal? 18 pounds? 24? 36?
In 1814, on the outer edge of the fort, facing downriver into the Patapsco, stood two formidable water batteries—an upper and a lower battery. Each one was armed with 20 French naval cannons of different sizes: 18, 24, and 36 pounders. These bad boys could hurl solid iron balls, or shots, at an impressive rate of 1800 feet per second, reaching nearly one and a half miles! A crew of 18 men were needed to load and fire each gun. The star-shaped fort itself featured five bastions—each equipped with four 18 or 24 pounder cannons—giving it a fierce look and a strategic advantage. With 23 guns total, including the three in the ravelin (a triangular structure outside the fort), it held some real heavy metal might!  Learn more: https://go.nps.gov/bombardment View post on Facebook. Step back in time to the Civil War era this weekend as we explore the significant role of Fort McHenry during this tumultuous period!
Did you know that over 2,000 civilians were arrested and imprisoned here, including the grandson of Francis Scott Key? Charges varied in severity and veracity, but most of the citizens held in Fort McHenry were held indefinitely, made possible by Lincoln’s wartime suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. Learn about the first bloodshed of the American Civil War and Fort McHenry’s prominent role. Living historians will portray the defenders of April 1861 with demonstrations including guard mount, musket drill and field music!   View the schedule of programs and plan your visit: https://go.nps.gov/fomc-civilwar View post on Facebook. Featured Content
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Last updated: April 25, 2025