Still Here

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Tells the Story of Francis Scott Key and the National Anthem 

By Guy Fletcher

Photography By Turner Photography Studio

BALTIMORE—Most Fredericktonians are quite familiar with Francis Scott Key, or at least they know he authored the national anthem. Key’s name and likeness can be found throughout Frederick County, from minor league baseball uniforms and a radio station to the names of local businesses and social organizations. His final resting place is in Mount Olivet Cemetery, where a prominent statue is featured.

But to fully understand the story of Key, drive an hour east until you get here, at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, perched on a peninsula that juts into Baltimore Harbor. It was here—or more correctly, in the harbor itself—where Key, then a 35-year-old lawyer and self-styled poet, famously wrote about seeing “our flag was still there,” despite nonstop bombardment from British war ships.

The park’s most prominent feature is its star-shaped fort, restored to its period appearance, except for Civil War-era cannons. The surrounding grounds include a seawall walking trail—ideal for when the 152 cherry blossom trees bloom in spring—and the iconic statue of Orpheus, the Greek mythological hero of music and poetry. The visitor center includes an exhibit area featuring artifacts, displays and interactive programs that highlight the War of 1812, Battle of Baltimore and the history of The Star-Spangled Banner.

A closer examination of Key’s legacy, especially in recent years, reveals a man of complexity and contradiction. Despite his adoration of “the land of the free,” he owned enslaved people, while publicly criticizing slavery’s cruelties. He defended the rights of free African Americans, but later in life also opposed the growing abolitionist movement in the country.

Fort McHenry does not shy away from the full telling of Key’s life, but the chief focus here is on Sept. 12-15, 1814, when Baltimore was threatened by British ships and soldiers. Key’s front-row seat to the Battle of Baltimore came courtesy of the enemy fleet, which he initially joined so he could negotiate the freedom of an American physician captured weeks before. He was eventually held captive himself until the bombardment of the fort was complete.

As dawn broke on Sept. 14, Key saw the large U.S. flag known as the Star-Spangled Banner, defiantly flying above the fort and inspiring him to write the poem Defence of Fort M’Henry. The poem was put to the music of a popular British song at the time. That tune was named The Star-Spangled Banner and soon became a well-known U.S. patriotic song. In 1931, it was adopted by Congress as the official national anthem.

But the story of Fort McHenry doesn’t end with Key or the song. The fort continued to be used by the military into the 20th century, including use as a prison during the Civil War—earning the nickname “The American Bastille”—and as a hospital during World War I. General Hospital No. 2, which existed from 1917 until 1925, transformed the fort into a 100-building, 3,000-bed medical facility and marked the busiest time in its history. Following the closure of the hospital, work began to restore the fort to its 19th-century appearance. In 1933 the site was transferred to the National Park Service.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is open every day from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Entry to the park, visitor center and seawall trail are free. A 10-minute orientation film plays every half hour. For entrance to the historic star fort, a fee of $15 is required for a seven-day pass that can be purchased at recreation.gov or in the visitor center.