Fort Washington in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Engineering Evolution

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021

1. Engineering Evolution Marker

Inscription. The crumbling concrete before you is all that remains of the magazine. It's one of the few left of its kind from the Civil War. Inside the magazine's storage rooms, barrels held 40-pound (18-kg) linen bags of black powder. Soldiers carefully carried boxes filled with bags to the Rodman Gun to ready its next shot.

Captions: The magazine is fragile. Help preserve the fort by not touching or climbing on it. Instead, feel the bumpy texture of this replica concrete. Soldiers mixed small stones and oyster shells to make the concrete locally.

“The magazines are perfectly dry, and no complaints were ever made of ammunition having been damaged, either by leakage or by imperfect ventilation.”
Brevet Major General John G. Barnard, Engineer, US Army

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil.

Location. 38° 46.085′ N, 77° 1.747′ W. Marker is in Fort Washington, Maryland, in Prince George's County. It can be reached from Fort Foote Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Washington MD 20744,

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United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Load. Ready. Fire! (within shouting distance of this marker); Capital View (within shouting distance of this marker); Ironclad Killer (within shouting distance of this marker); Another Shot (within shouting distance of this marker); Reporting for Duty (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); New Forts for a New War (about 400 feet away); Welcome To Fort Foote (about 700 feet away); A Fine Improvable Marsh (approx. 0.9 miles away in Virginia). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Washington.

Other markers no longer nearby. 15-inch Rodman Smoothbore

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021

2. Engineering Evolution Marker

(was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named 15-inch Rodman Smoothbore (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); Northwest Bastion (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); The Defenses of Washington (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); King's Depression Carriage (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Fort Foote (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Fort Foote (was about 700 feet away but has been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it).

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021

3. Concrete

The Magazine image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021

4. The Magazine

Ebony Spleenwort image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021

5. Ebony Spleenwort

growing in the concrete of the ruined magazine.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 240 times since then and 12 times this year. Last updated on March 24, 2022, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 1, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.