Fort Reno
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Fort Reno Park is a park in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It is the highest point in the city, and was involved in the only Civil War battle to take place in the District of Columbia. The highpoint was resurveyed and a new USGS Benchmark was placed in 2007 at coordinates N 38.95198 and W 77.075922, a location open to the general public and outside the fenced area where the highpoint was previously believed to be.[1]. Fort Reno, at 409 feet[2], is actually lower than the top of the Washington Monument, which rises 555 feet from nearly sea level. However, the sandstone castle-like fort structure on top and highpoint antenna farm raise the height above that of the monument. Residents gather here on the 4th of July to look down on the annual fireworks display on the Mall. |
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Fort Reno was originally named Fort Pennsylvania, and was built during the winter of 1861 shortly after the disastrous defeat of the Union Army at the First Battle of Manassas. In charge of construction of the defenses around Washington was Brig. Gen. John G. Barnard, Col. of Engineers, U.S. Army. Barnard chose the location of Fort Reno for its strategic importance in guarding the Rockville Pike (present day Wisconsin Avenue). Being the highest elevation in the city (429 feet above sea level), Fort Reno also served as a forward outpost and signal station for detecting enemy movement near the northern part of the city. |
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Fort Bayard at Boundary Park >
Civil War Defenses/Fort
Circle Parks
Fort Foote |
Fort Greble & Battery Carroll
| Fort Stanton |
Fort Dupont |
Fort Bunker Hill
| Fort Totten & Fort Slocum
| Fort Stevens | Battleground
National Cemetery |
Fort Reno | Fort
Bayard at Boundary Park |
Battery Kemble |
Fort Marcy |
Fort Circle Park Trail
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