Fort C. F. Smith (Arlington, Virginia)
Fort C. F. Smith Historic District | |
 Part of the fort's earthworks are on the right. | |
    | |
| Location | 2411 24th St., Arlington, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°54′6″N 77°5′25″W / 38.90167°N 77.09028°W |
| Area | 19 acres (7.7 ha) |
| Built | 1863 |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001719[1] |
| VLR No. | 000-5079 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 2000 |
| Designated VLR | September 15, 1999[2] |
Fort C. F. Smith was a small fort constructed by the Union Army as part of the defense of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War.
History
The new post was constructed by Union troops in early 1863 and named for Charles Ferguson Smith. The fortification extended the line of Arlington forts to the Potomac River. Along with Forts Strong, Morton, and Woodbury, it functioned as part of the outer perimeter of defenses that protected the Aqueduct Bridge of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
The fort consisted of lunettes facing south and west and two bastions to the north to protect it from attack up the ravines from the Potomac. The perimeter was 368 yards with places for 25 guns[3]
The fort was entered from the east by a road that crossed Spout Run and proceeded up the hill to Fort Strong. To provide clear lines of fire for Fort C.F. Smith and adjacent forts, all of the trees for miles around were cut down. Many of the trees were used in construction of the forts and support structures.[4]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[1]
The park is preserved by Arlington County at the Fort C.F. Smith Park.
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
- ^ Cooling III, Benjamin Franklin; Owen II, Walton H. (6 October 2009). Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington. Scarecrow Press. pp. 115–121. ISBN 978-0-8108-6307-1.
- ^ Kerri Culhane (May 1999). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Fort C. F. Smith" (PDF). and Accompanying two photos
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- Buildings and structures in Arlington County, Virginia
- Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C.
- American Civil War forts
- National Register of Historic Places in Arlington County, Virginia
- Arlington County Historic Districts
- Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
- Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
- Forts on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
- American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places
- United States history stubs
- American Civil War stubs
- Northern Virginia Registered Historic Place stubs
- Arlington County, Virginia geography stubs