Friday, Sep 14, 2007
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine celebrated its annual “Star-Spangled Banner Weekend” in grand style last week with parades, school programs, historic ships, living history, concerts, fireworks and a ship-to-shore bombardment. The Star-Spangled Banner weekend commemorates Defenders’ Day, Baltimore’s oldest holiday, which honors the successful defense of the city from British attack and the writing of the National Anthem.
The weekend began on Thursday, September 6th, with the “Fort Night Gala,” a fundraiser sponsored by The Friends of Fort McHenry. The event honored Maryland Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Paul S. Sarbanes (retired) for their longstanding support of the fort and contributions to the state of Maryland.
The highlight of the gala was the unveiling of a model and artist renderings of the proposed new visitor center, which is scheduled to begin construction in 2009. Architects from GWWO, Inc. of Baltimore, who designed the building, said that the curving walls are meant to suggest the furling of a flag without literally depicting one. The new visitor center will be three times larger than the current one and provide greater space for educational programs and an enhanced visitor experience.
“The Friends are committed to this new building and educational programs at the fort, such as the Young Defenders program they will have tomorrow,” said Trip Bailey, president of the Friends of Fort McHenry.
“The Young Defenders program is one of the most fun and fulfilling programs we offer at the fort,” said Vincent Vaise, chief of interpretation. Nine hundred inner-city school students visit the fort for a day of curriculum-based educational programs. For five hours students participated in flag talks, toured a replica War of 1812 privateer ship, talked to living history participants, and engaged in period drill. Students followed up their on-site visit with classroom lessons about the War of 1812 and the writing of the National Anthem. Following the Young Defenders program, living history participants prepared for the annual Defenders’ Day Parade.
Starting at 3:00 in the afternoon, living history participants boarded historic sailing vessels such as the Pride of Baltimore II and sailed into Baltimore Harbor. Part of the march through the city involved stopping at the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and 1812 Museum, where Mary Pickersgill made the original flag. Residents lined the streets and cheered the passing “troops.”
The event kicked into high gear on Saturday evening when Maryland governor and NPS volunteer Martin O’Malley took to the field on horseback dressed as a colonel from the War of 1812. Following a tactical demonstration of muskets and artillery, the governor read an executive order creating a Maryland commission to plan and celebrate the bicentennial of the War of 1812. The commission will set into motion events, fund-raising initiatives and commemorative activities to celebrate the bicentennial between 2012 and 2015.
Following the reading of the executive order, visitors were treated to a band concert, followed by a symbolic ship-to-shore “bombardment.” The 110th Battalion of the Maryland Army National Guard fired a battery of 105 mm howitzers as the fireworks barge replied with pyrotechnic “bombs” and “rockets” over the fort. A crowd of over 6,000 visitors sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the large 30 x 42-foot flag was hoisted over the fort. A 45-minute firework show rounded out the evening.
|
