Welcome to Fort Washington formerly known as Diggers point. In 1798 George Washington chose this location due to its very defensible position because of its proximity to the river.     

The first Fort Washington was completed in 1809 and guarded the Nation’s Capital until it was destroyed by its own garrison in 1814. Twelve days later Major Pierre L’Enfant was sent to construct new defenses, but worked on the fort for only a brief period before Lieutenant Colonel Walker K. Armistead replaced him. The fort was completed on October 2, 1824.

Extensive remodeling was performed in the 1840s and the first guns were mounted in 1846. The masonry fort was occupied by soldiers from the First, Third and Fourth U.S. Artillery during its early history. Except for a few guns at the Washington Arsenal, Fort Washington was the only defense for the Nation’s Capital until the Civil War when a circle of temporary forts was built around the city. Battery Rogers and Fort Foote were the only seacoast forts in the system and armed with large Rodman and Parrott cannons. Fort Washington was garrisoned as the outer defense for the city. Companies of the First and Fourth Artillery as well as numerous state artillery units passed through the post during the war.

In 1872 the garrison was removed and additional property purchased to construct a new defense system. Funds for the project were withdrawn and the post was abandoned for the next twenty years. A new defense system, consisting of rifled steel guns in concrete emplacements was authorized in 1886 and work began at Fort Washington in 1891. The next year ground was broken for Battery B, later named Battery Decatur and the guns were mounted in 1896.

Eventually, eight concrete batteries at Fort Washington and four at Fort Hunt made up the Potomac Defense Command. Prior to World War I, Fort Washington was downgraded to harbor defense and the large guns removed. During the war the post was used as a staging area for troops being sent to France. The 8th Provisional Artillery Battalion was organized at the post and sent to France where they became the 53rd Railroad Artillery Regiment. After the war the 3rd Battalion 12th Infantry moved in and became the ceremonial unit for the Military District of Washington.

In 1939 the post was abandoned and turned over to the Director of Public Buildings for use as a terminal point for a bridge across the Potomac, and for a parkway to be built along the shore. Before the transfer was complete the United States entered World War II. Fort Washington was returned to the army and became the home of the Adjutant General’s School. After the war the Veterans Administration managed the post hospital and other government agencies occupied some of the buildings. In 1946 Fort Washington returned to the Department of the Interior. As the military reservation grew and river traffic to Washington, DC increased, the need for a lighthouse to become evident.

The Secretary of Treasury, James Guthrie requested in 1856 that a light be placed on Digges Point. Since this area belonged to the War Department, Jefferson Davis agreed to allow a light to be placed with conditions that "the light shall be placed upon the wharf and not within any of the fortifications;and the light keeper shall be subordinate to the military command of the post and public ground in all that relate to police and discipline. If the care of the light can be placed with the Ordnance Sergeant, it will prevent interference with his present charge of other public property."  

With this permission the Lighthouse Board appropriated $500 for a light. This first light was an 18.5-foot iron post, which was placed November 7,1857. Following the recommendations of the Secretary of War, the care of the light was placed under the command of the Ordnance Sergeant, Joseph Cameron. Cameron who joined the Army in 1806 served for 66 years, 37 of these years were at Fort Washington, where he died in 1872. Cameron remained light keeper until 1869.

The 1857 light pole remained until the 1870's when growth of the wharf caused obstruction to the light pole. A small 16-foot tower was built closer to the water's edge to replace to light pole. This was considered the first "real" lighthouse and a sixth order illuminant lens was placed in the tower. 

The current tower was built in 1889 as the Fog Bell Tower. In 1901 the light was moved to the tower, due to the surrounding area overshadowing the “real” lighthouse.   

In 1954, the light was changed to unmanned automatic flashing red light. During the years that followed the wharf and all buildings associated with the lighthouse were removed. The light/fog bell tower is all that remains of a once active light station. Sometime during the late 1970's the fog bell mechanism broke, ending the bell ringing at Fort Washington. 

In 2020, the United States Coast Guard removed the triangle red marker and light to the river, ending a more than a century of active duty. The tower remains standing in its original place. The Lighthouse is due for some restorations and repairs are underway.

As always, this is a cache-in-trash-out geocache, and any help to keep this place clean is greatly appreciated. Please don't go in any structures or climb on any walls, and observe all park rules. Due to staffing shortages the fort will be closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. The visitor's center is closed but there is a ranger observing you. Be sure to check https://www.nps.gov/fowa/index.htm for operating hours.

The cache can be found at: N38 42.ABC, W077 01.DEF.

At reference point titled Barracks and Cannons, you can search for A, B and C. 

A = How many windows are on the upper floor at the barracks with the cannons in front of them

B = How many big guns are still active and manned on the wall

C = How many cannons in front of the barracks including on the ground minus 1

At reference point titled Lighthouse, you can search for D, E and F. 

D = Add the first two numbers on the lighthouse

E = Subtract the fourth number on the lighthouse from the third number

F = Add all the numbers on the lighthouse then subtract 10

The cache you seek is a clearly marked ammo can. Do NOT duck below any construction tape and remember to take the high road. 

Access / Hours

• Hours of Operation
  • Fort is open 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM (check website for days of week).
  • Park Grounds: 8:00 AM to sunset
• Access Fee
  • donations accepted
• Visitors will be required to follow any mask mandates.