Originally, Fort Hunt (Sheridan's Point in Washington's Day) served as a fort to defend the settlers against Indians in the 17th century.

Nowadays Fort Hunt Park on a summer plays host to several hundred picnickers.  On Sunday evenings there are free concerts.  There are large and medium size shelters that can be reserved for private functions

That is a far cry from its' original and subsequent purposes.

• In the latter part of the 19th century gun batteries were installed to defend Washington, D.C. during the Spanish American War along with Fort Washington in Maryland.
• It served for a brief time as an ROTC training camp for African Americans as well a temporary Veteran's Administration Hospital.
• During World War II Fort Hunt was known as P.O. Box 1142, the secret POW camp that housed and interrogated over 4,000 German prisoners.  Interestingly, most of the American interrogators were refugees from Nazi Germany.

Today, all but two of the old buildings have been razed and the acreage has been converted to an extremely popular destination along the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Related Sites

WOODLAWN PLANTATION

WASHINGTON'S GRIST MILL

My husband and I have a long time relationship with the Mount Vernon area. 

• We moved here in 1974.
• Started our real estate business in 1976
• Maintained our office in Mount Vernon for 18 years.
• Were active in the community with Mount Vernon High School, Mount Vernon Rotary, Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, Mansion House Swim Club.

We are extremely familiar with the Mount Vernon area.  If the purchase or sale of a Northern Virginia home is in your plans contact Karen and Art by Email or call us at 703-562-1532.  Put our  record of customer service, real estate experience and state-of-the-art technology to work for you in Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Stafford County or the entire Northern Virginia Area.