Powder Magazine and Filling Room

Photographed by Craig Swain, March 1, 2008

1. Powder Magazine and Filling Room Marker

Inscription. Ammunition for the fort's guns was kept in underground storage facilities called magazines and filling rooms. Shells were armed and sometimes stored in the filling room, while the magazine was used to hold black powder and crated rounds. Implements for firing the cannons could also be kept in the filling room.

Duty in either the filling room or the magazine was hazardous as the slightest spark could ignite the highly explosive black powder. Soldiers assigned to this task were required to remove all metal from their persons and to wear protective coverings on their shoes.

Erected by City of Alexandria.

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, and the Virginia, The City of Alexandria series lists.

Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 38° 49.839′ N, 77° 6.145′ W. Marker was in Alexandria, Virginia. It was in Seminary Hill. It could be reached from West Braddock Road, on the right when traveling

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west. Located in Fort Ward Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria VA 22304, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It was also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

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

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found 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 location: A different marker also named Powder Magazine and Filling Room (here, next to this marker); Northwest Bastion (a few steps from this marker); Profile of the Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Ward (within shouting distance of this marker); From Fort to Community (within shouting distance of this

The Marker Stands beside Magazine Number 3 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, March 1, 2008

2. The Marker Stands beside Magazine Number 3

marker); Jackson Cemetery Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Jackson Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Bombproof (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.

Other markers no longer nearby. Northwest Bastion (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Profile of Fort (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named Fort Ward (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Bombproof (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

More about this marker. On the right of the marker is a Sketch showing shelving in magazines as arranged for different kinds of ammunition. On the lower left is an engineering plan of the fort with the locations of magazines and filling rooms indicated in blue. The tour route is indicated in red.

Also see . . . Fort Ward Historic Site. (Submitted on May 15, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Filling Room Number 5 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, March 1, 2008

3. Filling Room Number 5

Credits. This page was last revised on April 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 15, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,656 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 15, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.