Fort Washington, Maryland
| Fort Washington, Maryland | |
|---|---|
| Census-designated place | |
A view of the main gate of Fort Washington Park from a nearby hill, in October 2004.
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 Location of Fort Washington, Maryland |
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| Coordinates: 38°44′37″N 77°0′37″W / 38.74361°N 77.01028°WCoordinates: 38°44′37″N 77°0′37″W / 38.74361°N 77.01028°W | |
| Country |  United States of America |
| State |
 Maryland
|
| County |  Prince George's |
| Area | |
| • Total | 16.6 sq mi (42.9 km2) |
| • Land | 13.8 sq mi (35.7 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 23,717 |
| • Density | 1,400/sq mi (550/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 20744, 20749 |
| Area code(s) | 301 |
| FIPS code | 24-29525 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0598313 |
Fort Washington is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland. It borders the capital of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., situated just south of the downtown district. It is a prosperous community with an African American majority population. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 23,717. The Fort Washington community is located west of Maryland Route 210, with some additional area to the east of the highway.
The community is named for Fort Washington, which upon its completion in 1809 was the only defensive fort protecting Washington, D.C. The fort is a stone structure and offered a good field of range for cannon fire at enemy advances on the Potomac River. During the War of 1812, the fort was quickly abandoned during a British advance. In 1844, a cannon exploded on the USS Princeton as it was passing Fort Washington. During World War II, the US Army's Adjutant General's School was located at the fort, and had billeting for 362 officers and 2,526 enlisted persons.
The site is now part of a very extensive park with views of the Potomac River and hiking paths. It is a scenic place for picnicking, fishing and outdoor recreation. (Admission is free to people entering after business hours and before sunset.)
During the War of 1812 Fort Washington, built to protect the capital from enemy advances on the Potomac River, was captured by the British under the command of Admiral Gordon, three days after the burning of the capital.
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