Welcome to Fort Frederick State Park
Fort Frederick was the cornerstone for Maryland’s frontier defense during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The stone fort was named in honor of Frederick Calvert, the sixth Lord Baltimore. It is unique because of its large size and strong stone walls. Most other forts of the period were built of wood and earth.
The fort served as an important supply base for the English campaigns and its presence brought stability to the area following years of raids by the French and Indians. Lesser roles were played by the Fort during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and for 131 years, the Fort was owned by citizen farmers.
Public interest in the site prompted the State to re-acquire the Fort in 1922. In the gloom of the Great Depression in the 1930’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps worked wonders on the the collapsing and missing sections of the fort wall.
But all of that is fully explained in detail at the interpretive sites you will encounter as you work through the virtual stages around the Park. Park camping, picnic, re-enactment and activity information is available at the link above the picture. There are no fees for park entry. However, special events within the Fort from April 1 through September require a fee - $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 6-12.
General Park hours are :
November 1 – March 31: 10:00 am - Sunset
April – October 31: 8 am - Sunset
The Fort predates two other local attractions that highlight the westward expansion of America. The C&O Canal traverses the Park adjacent to the Potomac River. Less than a mile away, upriver, is the eastern terminus of The Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) which follows the right-of-way of the old Western Maryland Railroad.
This is a puzzle cache . You will visit four distinct places on Park grounds, gathering pertinent information at each with which to build a set of coordinates for your final destination. Easily completed in less than an hour, you are encouraged to absorb not only the eye-pleasing natural and physical beauty of Fort Frederick, but also three centuries of rich history.
Final Coordinates - N 39* 36. A B C, W 078* 00. X Y Z
A - Published coordinates are the first waypoint. Ground zero here is a grassy area within the footprint of what was the Commanders residence. A is the number of rooms represented within.
B - Proceed nearby to the second waypoint. Rebuilding the Fort, after it had fallen into sad disrepair, fell to the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) during the Great Depression. B is the number of vertical planks on either of the front doors. Subtract '2' from that number."
C - Proceed to the third waypoint, Captain Wort's Sutlery shop. Facing the Sutlery, C is the number of multi-paned glass windows on the front exposure, excluding doors. Add '3' to that number.
At the fourth waypoint, you will find a large parking lot and an information Kiosk. The nitty-gritty to complete the West coordinates will be found within.
X - Your attention is directed to the graphic entitled ”…a place of Arms…would be absolutely necessary…” X is the number of local creeks listed within the first paragraph of the narrative. Subtract '1'.
Y - Pay heed now unto the graphic “…to protect, preserve…and provide access thereto for the public.” Y, 'pay heed now,' is the number of bicyclists/riders enjoying the Western Maryland Rail Trail(WMRT)in one of the pictures displayed. Subtract '6'.
Z - The final graphic is entitled ”Old Fort Frederick” Nathan Williams, an African American, bought Fort Frederick and farmed it for much of the 19th century. He was quite successful. Z is the last digit in the year that Nathan bought the Fort.
Rectangular in shape, the geocache is regular in size. Thank You for Visiting Fort Frederick State Park.
