Civil War Defenses of Washington/Fort Circle Parks
While today the Civil War Defenses of Washington (CWDW) are largely unknown, the fact is that many of them are still here. Construction began in 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War to protect the nation’s capital from Confederate attack. Indeed, they well served their purpose during the battle of Fort Stevens in July 1864. It was a major victory for the Union – the only Civil War battle in DC and the only time in the nation’s history that a sitting President (Lincoln) has come under direct enemy fire in battle.
Although never completed, starting in the 1930s the federal government acquired substantial amounts of the land for a proposed Fort Circle Drive to link the Defenses in DC. It was called for in the Senate McMillan Commission report of 1902 that, among other things, laid out a plan for the District’s park system.
Now managed by the National Park Service, together the fortifications and linking parklands create a magnificent curtain of green that softens the edges of our national capital. They provide respite and recreation for neighborhoods throughout the city. And they contain treasure-troves of nature and history that enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike.
Rock Creek Park
Enacted in 1890, Rock Creek Park was the first urban national park established by Congress. It was “dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” The law called for regulations to “provide for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, animals, or curiosities within said park, and their retention in their natural condition, as nearly as possible.” (26 Stat. 492, chapter 1001).
The largest park in DC, Rock Creek is managed today by the National Park Service. It offers the natural beauty of the Creek, the forest that it supports, and the countless species of plants and animals that have established habitat in the Park. It also has provided trails for hiking and biking, an amphitheater (now needing restoration) for cultural performances and educational presentations, a large tennis facility, and a public golf course.
C100 Submitted Comments on the Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Assessment Civil War Defenses of Washington formerly known as the Fort Circle Parks to the National Park Service on June 15, 2026.
Testimony on behalf of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City (C100) at the Hearing before the National Capital Planning Commission regarding National Park Service Civil War Defenses of Washington Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Assessment, dated May 2026.
Comments submitted to the National Park Service on October 4, 2024, concerning support of the comments submitted by the Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washingon on the Battleground National Cemetery Landscape & Accessibility Project.
C100 submits comments in opposition to the proposed hi-intensity lighting for the Rock Creek Golf Course because it violates the Comprehensive Plan prohibition on introducing new light sources except where needed for safety and because alternatives were not addressed.
It was a great surprise to The Committee of 100 to learn recently of the NPS proposal to transfer nearly an acre of land at Fort Lincoln at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Bladensburg Road to the DC government for a private townhouse development. We were not notified of this as part of the scoping process last year, and given no opportunity to express our views or attend the scoping meeting on the proposal.
Testimony of Loretta Neumann on behalf of the Committee of 100 before the National Park Service regarding the Service’s proposed management plan for the Fort Circle Parks.
Testimony of Loretta Neumann on behalf of the Committee of 100 before the National Park Service regarding the Service’s proposed management plan for the Fort Circle Parks.
