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    Civil War Defenses of Washington

    District of Columbia

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  • Possible closures due to Hurricane Sandy

    Due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, park areas may be temporarily closed. Please call (202) 895-6070 for more information and park conditions. More »

Fees & Reservations

There are no admission fees for the National Park Service Civil War Defenses of Washington sites. However, there might be a fee associated with some reserved activities.

Sports Fields

Please contact the D.C. Department of Recreation on 202-673-7449, if you have questions regarding the following areas:

Fort Davis: Ballfield
Fort Greble: Ballfield, Basketball Court
Fort Reno: Ballfields, Tennis Courts
Fort Stanton: Football, Basketball Court, Tennis Courts, Ballfields

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Groups that would like to make arrangements to reserve the following courts or fields for group practice or play should contact the National Park Service permit coordinator on 202-426-5961. Completion of an application for a special use permit and adherence to park regulation is required.

Fort Dupont Park: Multipurpose Fields, Tennis Courts, Basketball Court, Baseball Field.
Fort Mahan Park: Multipurpose Field.

Community Gardens

The National Park Service Civil War Defenses of Washington offer two areas for community gardening.

Fort Dupont Community Gardens is located at the corner of Fort Dupont and Fort Davis Drives. Please call 202-426-5961 for information. more...

Fort Stevens Community Gardens is located at 13th Street and Fort Stevens Dr., NW. Please call 202-895-6000 for information.

Picnicking

Fort Dupont has three picnic areas that can be reserved for use by groups between May and September of each year.

Picnic Area #47 at Randle Circle: capacity of 75 people

Picnic Area #47A at Randle Circle: capacity of 50 people

Historic Earthwork (Lanham Estates) Picnic Area on Alabama Avenue: capacity of 75 people

Restrooms are located in each of these areas.

To make a group picnic reservation, please contact the D.C. Department of Parks & Recreation at (202) 673-7646.

In addition, National Park Service Defenses of Washington feature non-reserved, first-come, first-served picnic areas at the following locations: Randle Circle, Ridge Picnic Area, Bruce Place, Fort Place (in front of the Anacostia Museum), and in Fort Chaplin Park (on Texas Avenue, SE, between B and C Streets, SE).


Did You Know?

Fort Stevens

As early as the 1820s, free African Americans settled in a community called Vinegar Hill, an area now known as Brightwood.  During the Civil War, Fort Stevens was built within Vinegar Hill boundaries and repulsed the only Confederate attack on the District of Columbia.