Star-Spangled Banner Trail Sites to Visit

The ramparts of Fort McHenry withstood the "bombs bursting in air" through 25 hours of British bombardment. Throughout the chaos and confusion of battle, Francis Scott Key was unsure of the outcome. The following morning, as the beautiful Star-Spangled Banner was raised above the fort, Key knew his beloved country was victorious and was inspired to pen our National Anthem. Today at the Fort, you can enjoy educational exhibits, a walk on the grounds, and ranger-led flag programs. Visit for the Annual Defenders’ Day Celebration.

You may have heard of the author of the National Anthem, Francis Scott Key, who survived a grueling bombardment by the British on Fort McHenry. What you might not know is the seamstress who made the flag, Mary Pickersgill. Mary Pickersgill, a 37-year old widowed mother, made the 30-foot-by-42-foot Star-Spangled Banner flag that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that would later become our national anthem. She used skills she learned as a child from her own mother, also a seamstress, to run her lucrative flag-making business. See the 1793 home where she stitched the flag and discover her legacy at the museum. 

After the stinging defeat at Bladensburg and invasion of Washington, Americans rallied to save Baltimore. All available able-bodied men were called to build defenses. Black and white, enslaved and free, all united to dig earthworks across Hampstead Hill, where present-day Patterson Park is located. British land forces approached on September 13, 1814, and stopped at the sight of these well-armed defenses. Deciding that storming the American stronghold would be too costly, the British army retreated.

The earliest original manuscript version of Francis Scott Key’s poem, the Star-Spangled Banner,  that became our national anthem is housed at the Maryland Center for History and Culture. Explore their exhibits to discover Maryland’s place in securing our independence from Great Britain. The Maryland Center for History and Culture collects, preserves and interprets the history, art, and culture of Maryland. Originally founded as the Maryland Historical Society in 1844, MCHC offers a museum, library, and educational programs.

A few days before the British Navy pounded Fort McHenry, 4,700 of King George’s finest men landed here to begin their assault on Baltimore. The British soldiers encountered stiff Yankee resistance at the nearby Battle of North Point, where Daniel Wells and Henry McComas, a pair of Maryland teens, now known as the “Boy Martyrs of Baltimore,” gave their lives and possibly saved the nation. Visit the Battle Acre Park to pay your respects for the fallen, or visit for the annual Defenders Day celebration complete with reenactors. 

Private Bernard Todd paid dearly for having his home used for military purposes. When the British threatened Baltimore in 1813, the home served as headquarters for American troops who guarded the Patapsco Neck. Todd’s property also served as a signal house and horse courier station. Three mounted sentries stationed here on September 11, 1814, hurried to announce that the British had arrived. In retaliation, enemy soldiers torched the house and some buildings. The home is now a museum.

Just prior to the naval bombardment of Fort McHenry, about 5,000 British troops landed at Fort Howard in Baltimore County, southeast of the city, and a battle with American troops ensued on the North Point peninsula.  North Point State Park’s Defenders Trail follows the route of the British as they progressed toward Baltimore before confronting the city’s defenses and being compelled to retreat. Stop in the Takos Visitor Center for trail maps and to discover more ways to enjoy the park, including taking in gorgeous views of the Chesapeake Bay. 

A raid nearly destroyed this waterfront town, but Havre de Grace’s brave inhabitants saved half the town from the ravages of the British flames, and some of those historic buildings still stand as testament to the American spirit. Tour the historic streets and visit the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House, the John O'Neill Cannon Memorial and the Concord Point Lighthouse. Then enjoy the waterfront promenade featuring antiques shops, art galleries, bars, and restaurants.

In Frederick, Francis Scott Key is a hometown hero. Visit Mount Olivet Cemetery where he is buried and see the impressive monument dedicated to him and the exhibit that describes his legacy. 

During the War of 1812, Rosalie Calvert watched the Battle of Bladensburg from her second-story window at Riversdale Mansion. When the battle was over, Rosalie Calvert ordered her enslaved field hands from the plantation to bury the dead. Tour the visitor center and mansion to discover the role of the Calvert family during the War of 1812.

At Bladensburg Waterfront Park, you can see the Anacostia River Bridge, near the site where British forces crossed to attack American defenses in August 1814. The battle ended in defeat for the United States and allowed the British to invade Washington, D.C. The poorly trained and ill-equipped American militia were no match for the seasoned British army. In the battle’s aftermath, Rosalie Calvert used her enslaved people to bury the dead, and then collected weapons and other items.

Park visitors can enjoy the waterfront promenade.
 

On August 22, 1814, the U.S. Chesapeake Flotilla scuttled their own vessels when British pursuers approached from the Patuxent River. With the flotilla destroyed, the British landed about 500 troops at Mount Calvert. From here they marched to Upper Marlboro to join the main British invasion force on their way to invade and capture Washington, D.C.

Exhibits on the grounds explore the history of the British landing at Mount Calvert. Walk the grounds and trails, enjoy waterfront views and see the museum exhibits.
 

This fort was destroyed by its own garrison during the War of 1812, but when it was reconstructed in 1824, it served as Washington, D.C.'s primary source of protection until the Civil War. Today, the park offers monthly artillery demonstrations and tours of the fort plus opportunities for picnicking, hiking along the Potomac, and nature watching.

Located on the site of the Battle of St. Leonard’s Creek, the largest naval engagement in the state’s history, Jefferson Patterson Park offers a unique look not just at the War of 1812, but back through 10,000 years of Maryland history! See War of 1812 re-enactments, visit the historical exhibitions in the museum and barn, experience the Woodland Indian Village, and live your Indiana Jones fantasy working on an actual dig through the park’s Public Archaeology Program.

During the summer of 1814, British ships blockaded the mouth of the Patuxent River (near the museum's modern-day location), cutting off trade and trapping the U.S. Chesapeake Flotilla. Today, visitors to the museum can see an interactive map of the British invasion route and artifacts from the scuttled American flotilla.

On June 14, 1814, British troops raided Sotterley, burning a tobacco warehouse and a house once occupied by the militia. Nearly 50 enslaved people from the site escape to British vessels and found their freedom during this raid. Tour the mansion house and gardens and see an original slave cabin.

The British targeted the town of St. Michaels on August 10 and August 26, 1813, during the War of 1812, likely because it was a shipbuilding center known for building privateers (sleek Chesapeake schooners that preyed on British ships). Several gun barges for the U.S. Chesapeake Flotilla were also built in St. Michaels.

Eleven British barges advanced on the small battery guarding St. Michaels at Parrott’s Point August 10, 1813. Their mission was to capture or destroy any armed vessels rumored to be operating on the river. American defenders fired twice, then abandoned the battery to join the main militia and drive back the invaders. A larger British force returned two weeks later.

Tour the historic shipbuilding barn at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and stroll the shops and dine in the charming downtown.

Local militia attacked a British raiding party whose vessel was icebound near James Island February 7, 1815. Protected by a breastwork of ice, the Americans continued firing until the crew of 20 British surrendered. The two-hour skirmish, the “Battle of the Ice Mound,” was the last engagement of the war in Maryland. Ratification of a peace treaty occurred 10 days later.