Washington, DC’s best-preserved Civil War fort is surprisingly hidden away in a residential Alexandria neighborhood. But there it is, a vivid foray into the life and times of occupied Alexandria and what it took to protect the federal capital from Confederate attack. The reconstructed headquarters houses a small museum with period uniforms, medical equipment and a model of the original fort. A road winds through 45 tree-shaded acres, with signs and maps interpreting the fort’s landscape.
Fort Ward is considered a model of 19th-century engineering. Designed for 36 guns mounted in five bastions, it boasts nearly 95 percent of its original earthen walls, an authentically reconstructed bastion, the ceremonial entrance gate and underground bomb shelters to house 500 men. Check for frequent reenactments that interpret Civil War soldier and civilian life, including infantry drills, artillery demonstrations, camp life, torchlight tours and more. The easiest access to the fort is by car.