Another full day to explore downtown Baltimore.

We started the morning with a visit to Fort McHenry – famous now for the defense of Baltimore harbor against the British during the War of 1812.  The fort’s success in preventing the British fleet from entering the harbor and reinforcing a ground attack of the city inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry”, which was later put to an existing tune and later became our national anthem.

Here they are raising the 15-star spangled banner for the day.  The original is in the Smithsonian.

The fort was built in 1798 and was used continuously through the end of WWI.

Waterfront view of the area where the fighting took place in 1814.

One of the British canon shot collected after the battle.   Original canons from the era still on display.

Upgraded Civil War era canon installed to prevent any further rebel insurgencies that took place throughout the war in Maryland.

On to lunch..Fells Point neighborhood; for hundreds of years this area was the hub of Maryland’s shipping and shipbuilding industries.

After lunch we walked around the waterfront and enjoyed a cool, sunny afternoon.

Ice cream treats and then back to the house to walk the dog and get ready for wine time/dinner.