Our weekend adventure

This weekend we tried to go here....

but ended up here instead.....

We attempted to go to a farm and petting zoo on Sunday but when we got there we were met with HUGE crowds and looong lines. We decide to find another place to visit and decided on historic Fort McHenry, about 14 miles away in Baltimore. It was very nice that day and the crowds were very small there. For those of you non-history buffs, Ft. McHenry is most famous as the site that inspired the writing of the national anthem by Francis Scott Key. It was there that Key witnessed a British bombardment of the fort that took place in 1814 during the war of 1812. It was able to ward off the attacks by the British and saved Baltimore. The fort was ordered to be built by President George Washington to protect against future British attacks (which was exactly what happened). It was in use through the civil war as a prison, a hospital during WWI and a Coast Guard base in WWII. The only thing that remains now is the fort itself. It is always fun to step back in time at sites like these and see how people lived and worked. Here are a few more photos from that day:

Arriving at the fort.

The sailboats on Chesapeake Bay. Francis Scott Key watched the bombardment of the fort from a ship just past where that bridge is now.

War of 1812 and Civil War cannons.

Walking around the grounds of the fort.

Just a cute squirrel I saw. :)

Inside the fort looking toward the sally port (main entrance). The flag flying is the small flag they put on days where the wind is low. They usually fly a flag that is 45'X30', a replica of the one they flew during the bombardment. The fact that it was so big made it easy for F.S. Key to see it from the ship in the harbor.