Fort Foote

Fort Foote

Military fort

Sixty -eight forts were built around Washington D.C. during the Civil War. Of those sixty-eight, only two were built to defend against a naval attack - Fort Foote and Battery Rodgers. Construction on Fort Foote began in 1864 and was completed in 1865. At the time of its completion, the fort was five hundred (500) feet long. Travel to and from the the fort was largely done by ferry, as there were no roads leading to the location. In addition to the ammunition distributed to individual soldiers, the fort's defenses included six 30-lb Parrott rifles, four 8-inch 200-lb Parrott rifles and two 15-inch Rodman Columbiads. The fort derives its name from Rear Admiral Andrew H. Foote, who was killed in battle in 1863. During it's life as a working fort, the garrison were housed in frame buildings outside the fort. Following the Civil War, the fort was used for a number of different purposes. Between 1868 and 1869, Fort Foote was used as a military prison. It was also the site of weapons and gas service testing. From 1902 to 1917, it was used as a practice area for engineer students. Fort Foote is currently a part of the National Park System.

United States Armed Forces

http://www.nps.gov/fofo/

1865

eng

Built Resource: Fort

38.76753159807945,-77.02866822481155

http://www.nps.gov/fofo/

1864

1865

1868 1869

1902 1917