Alexandria in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Beyond What You See Today
George Washington Memorial Parkway
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
In addition to its use as a coastal defense during the Spanish-American War, Fort Hunt served further military purposes in later years. During World War II, the military transported enemy prisoners here in unmarked, windowless buses, literally "keeping them in the dark" about the location and holding them as "unofficial" prisoners-of-war. Both U.S. Army and Navy personnel interrogated the prisoners for information about enemy activities. Facilities at Fort Hunt included interrogation and prison rooms, solitary confinement, and exercise areas.
Korvettenkaptan (Captain) Werner Henke, the highest-ranking German officer to be shot and killed while in American captivity, died at Fort Hunt. Falsely branded "War Criminal No. 1" by the Allied pres, Henke believed he would face execution if turned over to the British. He instead chose death through a suicidal escape attempt.
Battery Porter
Completed just after the Spanish-American War, the masonry structure in front of you once held a single gun that would help draw enemy ships into range of the larger, more powerful guns of Battery Mount Vernon at Fort Hunt.
Artillery: One 5-inch rapid-fire gun
Range of Fire: 7 miles
Dimension: 65 feet wide x 65 feet deep x 13.5 feet high
Completed: August 1902
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • War, Spanish-American • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1902.
Location. 38° 42.904′ N, 77° 3.049′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Marker is on Fort Hunt Park Loop, on the left when traveling east. Located in Fort Hunt Park, a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway administered by the National Park Service. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Alexandria VA 22308, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fort Hunt Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery Mount Vernon (within shouting distance of this marker); People and the Land (within shouting distance of this marker); Civilian Conservation Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); In Support of American Defense (within shouting distance of this marker); P.O. Box 1142 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); WW II: A Battle Fought at Home and Abroad (about 600 feet away); Battery Sater (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.
More about this marker.
[Safety information on the marker:]
Be safe and help us protect our cultural heritage
• Stay on designated paths. Please watch your step. Historic surfaces are uneven and may be damp or slippery. Use handrails when climbing stairs.
• Climbing on or attempting to access restricted areas of historic structures is unsafe and may damage park resources.
• It is illegal to remove anything from Fort Hunt Park. Everything is protected so you and future generations may enjoy these historic resources.
Also see . . . Fort Hunt. NPS site. (Submitted on June 5, 2011, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 6, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2011, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 795 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 27, 2011, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2, 3. submitted on June 5, 2011, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.