Fort Ethan Allen (Arlington, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Fort Ethan Allen was an earthwork fortification built on the property of Gilbert Vanderwerken
in Alexandria County, Virginia, (now Arlington, Virginia) by the Union Army
in 1861 as part of the defense of Washington
during the American Civil War
. The remains of the fort, a portion of the earthen walls, now overgrown, are now part of Fort Ethan Allen Park. The historic fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, is a designated as an Historic District by Arlington County, and is included as a site in the Virginia Civil War Trails program.
There was no military action at Fort Ethan Allen throughout the Civil War; the only attack on Washington-area forts was at Fort Stevens
, north of the city, in 1864. Perhaps the most memorable wartime occurrence at Fort Ethan Allen was a visit by President Abraham Lincoln
, one of the few visits to a Washington fort he ever made.
Gilbert Vanderwerken
Gilbert Vanderwerken , originally from Albany, New York, was most notably recognized for introducing the omnibus, an urban version of the stagecoach, in Newark, New Jersey, in 1826.-Biography:...
in Alexandria County, Virginia, (now Arlington, Virginia) by the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in 1861 as part of the defense of Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The remains of the fort, a portion of the earthen walls, now overgrown, are now part of Fort Ethan Allen Park. The historic fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, is a designated as an Historic District by Arlington County, and is included as a site in the Virginia Civil War Trails program.
There was no military action at Fort Ethan Allen throughout the Civil War; the only attack on Washington-area forts was at Fort Stevens
Fort Stevens (Washington, D.C.)
Fort Stevens was part of the extensive fortifications built around Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War. It was constructed in 1861 as "Fort Massachusetts" and later enlarged by the Union Army and renamed "Fort Stevens" after Brig. Gen...
, north of the city, in 1864. Perhaps the most memorable wartime occurrence at Fort Ethan Allen was a visit by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, one of the few visits to a Washington fort he ever made.