Court House in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Fort Woodbury

Historical Site

— Defenses of Washington 1861 - 1865 —

Fort Woodbury Marker image. Click for full size.

February 2, 2008

1. Fort Woodbury Marker

Inscription. During the Civil War, the Union built a series of forts to defend Washington, D.C. By 1865 there were 33 earthen fortifications in the Arlington Line. Fort Woodbury (1861) was part of this defensive strategy. Built east of this marker, this lunette fort was named for Major D.P. Woodbury, the engineer who designed and oversaw the building of the entire Arlington Line.

Erected by Arlington County, Virginia. (Marker Number 11.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Defenses of Washington series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 38° 53.385′ N, 77° 5.032′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Court House. It is at the intersection of North Courthouse Road and North 14th Street, on the right when traveling south on North Courthouse Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arlington VA 22201, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

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 the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Arlington County Peace Officer Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Investment Building (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Courthouse Neighborhood and Lawyer's Row

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(about 500 feet away); First Federal Savings and Loan Building (about 600 feet away); The Arlington Line (about 700 feet away); Compassion (about 700 feet away); Fort Cass (approx. 0.3 miles away); Colonial Village (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arlington.

More about this marker. In the center of the marker is a map of the Washington Defenses, with a red arrow pointing out the location of Fort Woodbury.

The original marker was worded slightly differently: Immediately behind the present Court House stood Fort Woodbury, a lunette in the Arlington Line constructed in August 1861. It had a perimeter of 275 yards and 19 emplacements for 13 guns. It was named for Major D.P. Woodbury, the Engineer who designed and constructed the Arlington Line.

Additional commentary.
1. Fort Woodbury Particulars
From "Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington," by Benjamin Franklin Cooling III and Walton H. Owen II:

The fort was named for Brig. Gen. Daniel P. Woodbury, who died in August

February 2, 2008

2. Fort Woodbury Marker

View to the east toward modern Arlington County Courthouse.

1864 of yellow fever. The original fort stood at the intersection of 14th and Troy Streets, a block west of the marker. The fort's perimeter was 275 yards, with support for 13 guns. Armament included five 24-pdr guns, three 30-pdr Parrotts, four 6-pdr guns, and one 24-pdr Coehorn mortar. Other structures in the fort included two magazines and a fortified barracks.

Units stationed at Fort Woodbury at times during the war included the 97th New York Infantry, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, 145th Ohio Infantry, 16th Maine Infantry, and 88th Pennsylvania Infantry.

— Submitted February 4, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.

"Big gun at Fort Woodbury" image. Click for full size.

3. "Big gun at Fort Woodbury"

(Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.01509

View across the intersection of 14th and Troy Streets looking northwest image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Vincent, June 9, 2012

4. View across the intersection of 14th and Troy Streets looking northwest

The large building is the modern Arlington Courthouse and stands on the site of Fort Woodbury.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 3, 2008. This page has been viewed 2,452 times since then and 46 times this year. Last updated on September 18, 2025. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 3, 2008. 3. submitted on February 9, 2008. 4. submitted on June 10, 2012, by Kevin Vincent of Arlington, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.