Fort Frederick State Park

Also known as: Fort Frederick
SE of Big Pool near jct. of MD 56 and 44, Big Pool, Maryland

Photos

Fort Frederick

1. Historic American Buildings Survey Albert S. Burns, Photographer C. 1934, 1935. PERSPECTIVE SKETCH

Photo from the Historic American Buildings Survey

View photos at Library of Congress

Map

Coordinates:
+39.61079, -78.00377
39°36'39" N, 78°00'14" W

Description

The Southern Colonies' largest and best preserved architectural example of an 18th-century frontier fort erected for frontier defense against Indians. It sheltered some 700 people during the 1763 Pontiac War, and, from 1777 to 1783, it served as a prisoner-of-war camp for captured British and German soldiers during the War for Independence. -- National Historic Landmark statement of significance, November 7, 1973

The Civilian Conservation Corps started restoration of the fort in the 1930s. The barracks were rebuilt in 1975 for the bicentennial.

National Register information

Status: Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1973
Reference number: 73000939
Areas of significance: Military; Architecture
Level of significance: National
Evaluation criteria: A - Event; C - Design/Construction
Property type: Structure
Historic function: Fortification
Current function: Park
Period of significance: 1750-1799
Significant years: 1775; 1783
Number of properties: Contributing structures: 1
Contributing sites: 3

Update Log

May 28, 2015: Updated by Jim Allen: Added restoration note

Sources

HABS MD-95 - Fort Frederick
Wikipedia
Jim Allen
Maryland's National Register Properties - overview
National Register database - Reference number 73000939 (Search for documents)
National Historic Landmark information