The National Park Service, with the assistance of LDR International, Inc., an HNTB Company, of Columbia, Maryland, is studying the 1814 British Invasion of Maryland and Washington DC, and the American defense during the War of 1812.

This newsletter briefly explains the legislative origins of this national trail, the study process that will be undertaken, and the preliminary route following major events. Through the National Park Service website and public forums, a dialogue between the planning team and interested parties will be maintained.

Along with the other national historic trails that have been designated throughout the United States, the Star Spangled Banner Trail is being considered because it reflects significant events in American History, including the only time the nation’s capital was invaded by a foreign power. The trail designation provides opportunities for resource protection, active and passive interpretation, and public enjoyment.

Download this fact sheet in PDF format (350 Kb)

This historic route is being considered for designation as a national historic trail and must meet certain legislative requirements to become an official trail in the National Trails System. Over the next year, the project team will assess trail alternatives and submit a Determination of Significance Statement to NPS. When trail route alternatives are developed, purpose and significance statements will be used to evaluate each alternative. Public participation will be encouraged through a series of meetings in the study area. (see back page for more information)

Under the Historic Sites Act of 1935 and Public Law 106-135, the National Park Service Advisory Board will determine if the Star Spangled Banner Trail is nationally significant. If significance is determined, feasibility and management options, including federal management, will be considered. If the trail is determined not to be nationally significant, state and local management options will be considered.

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A national historic trail is an extended trail that follows routes of travel that are historically and nationally significant. The trail must be significant with respect to any of several broad facets of American History, such as trade and commerce, exploration, migration and settlement, or military campaigns, and must have significant potential for public recreational use or historical interest based on historical interpretation and appreciation. The trail need not be continuous and might include land and water segments, marked highways paralleling the route, and sites that together form a chain or network along the route.

The purpose and significance of each trail is determined to examine the unique characteristics of the trail. Purpose and significance statements help ensure that management, resource protection, visitor use, and trail development is in accordance with the NPS mandates: to protect and preserve resources and to provide for the enjoyment of those resources by people.

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The designation of this route as a national historic trail will serve as a means to encourage preservation of the trail's history and physical remains. The trail will:

• Allow all of its visitors to envision and experience, in a coherent and interpretable way, the heritage and struggles that ensued during the War of 1812.
• Serve as a reminder of the importance of the concept of liberty to all who experience the Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail.
• Give recognition to the patriots whose determination to stand firm against enemy invasion and bombardment preserved this liberty for future generations of Americans.

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Route of Major Events

The proposed trail traces the following major events:

• The arrival of the British fleet on the Patuxent River
• The landing of the British forces in Benedict
• The sinking of the Chesapeake Flotilla at Pig Point in Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County, Maryland
• The American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg
• The siege of the Nation's Capital and the burning of the US Capitol and the White House in Washington D.C.
• The route of the American troops from Washington through Georgetown, the Maryland Counties of Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, and the City of Baltimore to the Battle of North Point
• The ultimate victory of the Americans at Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814

Map of Project Area

Download a PDF map showing the study area (348 Kb)

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Study Schedule

• October 2000: Commence study
• November/December 2000: Data gathering / preliminary site selection and trail route
• January 2001: Public meetings
• February 2001: Historians' Seminar
• February/March 2001: Refine trail route alternatives
• March 2001: Public meetings
• April 2001: Draft Statement of Significance/NPS Review
• May 2001: Statement of Significance
• June 2001: Submit Proposed Trail Corridor and Draft Significance Determination
• July 2001: Draft #2 Significance Determination
• August 2001: Public meetings
• September 2001: Final Significance Determination/ Deliver Final Report to NPS Advisory Board
• December 2001: Feasibility and Desirability Determination
• February 2002: Draft Study Report / EIS

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Public Involvement

Public involvement is a key component of determining a national trail and assessing its feasibility. Issues, opportunities, and concerns are identified and data is gathered through this aspect of the study effort. The National Park Service and LDR will be holding several public forums throughout this study process at locations along the trail. The first public meetings, aimed at discussing the study process, goals and objectives, and the preliminary trail routes, were held in early January in Baltimore, Washington DC, and Prince Frederick in Calvert County. These meetings were open to the public.

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Public Meetings

• April 7, 2001, 1 - 4:30pm: Roundtable discussion of the national significance of the War of 1812 Chesapeake Campaign.
  Maryland Historical Society, 201 West Monument Street, Baltimore, Maryland.
  
  Scholars from London, Canada, and the United States will be brought together in this public forum to debate the topic.
  Panelists include Dr. Donald Graves, Dr. Donald Hickey, Dr. Andrew Lambert, Dr. Joseph Whitehorne, and Dr. Marilyn Zoidis. The National Park Service's Chief Historian, Dwight Pitcaithley will moderate the discussion.

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Contact Information

For more information about the Star Spangled Banner Trail project, please contact William Sharp at william_sharp@nps.gov

or call (215) 597 - 1655

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