The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-08-27
OLD FORT FREDERICK, ONCE
AN OUTPOST, STILL STANDS
Is A Relic of Three Wars; De-
signed Under Direction of
Governor HOratiO Sharpe of
Maryland $50 Years Ago.

condition as when laid out under the
direction of Governor Horatio Sharpe
of Maryland one hundred and eighty
years ago.
Situated in Washington county,
Maryland, about Is miles west of
Hagerstown, and nearly four miles
south of the National Highway at
Indian Spring, via Big Pool, Fort
Frederick participated with honor in
the French and Indian, the Revolu-
tionary and Civil Wars.
Although no war is being fought
now along what once was known as
the colonial frontier, an officer of the
United States Army is stationed at
Fort Frederick in charge of a Civilian
Conservation Corps camp. This camp
is one of the many in the United States
doing Emergency Conservation Work
under the direction of Robert E. Fech-
ner, who was appointed head of the
program by the President.
The National Park Service under
Arno B. Cammerer, Director, and
through its branch of planning and
State cooperation, headed by Assis-
tant Director Conrad L. Wirth, is CO.
operating with the State of Maryland
in the work at Fort Frederick.
Having been the object of thousands
of visitors in the past, Fort Frederick
of the future will present more
pleasing appearance as the finishing
touches are applied by the 200 enroll
ees of the Civilian Conservation Corps
camp.
Comprehensive plans have been
made for the protection, preservation
and restoration of Fort Frederick, the
converting of approximately 200 acres
into beautiful park. The site is well
suited for the purposes intended for
its uses, such as camp sites, vacation
parties, tourists and the nearby Poto-
ma cRiver offers swimming, boating
and other aquatic sports.
History records that Fort Frederick
was named for the sixth and last Lord
Baltimore. The shape of the fort was
quadrangular, each of it's exterior
lines being $50 feet in length, with bas-
lions at each corner. The walls, four
feet thick and between Is and 20 feet
high, were built of stone obtained in
the immediate vicinity. AS place of
defense against small arms it was all
that could be desired, but it was not
calculated to resist an artillery at
tack. Two wells were dug within the
fort and the only entrance was through
a heavy gate in the South wall over
looking the Potomac River.
Fort Frederick was built in 1855 and
remained in the ownership of the
State of Maryland until 1871, when it
and adjoining land were sold to Rob-
ert johnson for $375. The property
again changed individual ownership
in 1911 for price of $7864. Agitation
to restore the old fort to the State Of
Maryland was made from time to time,
and in 1912 an act was passed by the
Legislature to appropriate $500 to
enable the State Board of Forestry to
acquire the land. But it was not until
1922 that the State of Maryland OBJ
tanned the historic fort and grounds.
The price was $4,000.
The Maryland State Board Of For
estry had issued recently a booklet,
written by w. McCulloh Brown, then
member of the Forestry Commits
sion, which gives an interesting au-
thentic historical sketch of the fort
and the part it played in the early
history of Maryland. Excerpts follow:
"Fort Frederick was one of num-
Der of forts erected along the colonial
frontier following the defeat of Cen
eral Braddock's forces at the hands
of the French and Indians on July 9,
1755, while on his way to attack Fort
Duquesne. In May of the year the for:
was built, Governor Sharpe, of Mary
land, wrote to Governor Dinwiddie, OF
Virginia: 4 am about to start to
Frederick to build fort While Gov
ernor Sharpe was directing the build
ing of the fort, Colonel George Wash
ington, of Virginia, was erecting one
at Winchester. Washington made a
trip of inspection of Fort Frederick
| while it was under construction.
"The Maryland Gazette chronicled
in 1755 that Many persons in Freder-
ick county recently have been muir
dered. Families on Toonaloway Creek
were killed and their homes burned.
In the back parts, which are thinly
settled, upwards of 20 plantations
were laid in waste in four days. 1t is
necessary to arm and fortify, for the
Indians and French are making raids
within 100 miles of Annapolis
"Maryland's Colonial Legislature
appropriated 5000 pounds for the
building and maintenance of fort
on North Mountain. The Governors
correspondence Of that year contained:
4 am preparing to set off for the
frontier, to put this province in the
best position of defense that the bill