Fort Hunt Park, a popular National Park Service site located in Alexandria, Virginia along the George Washington Memorial Parkway is filled with hiking areas, picnic pavilions and sports fields popular with a wide range of park visitors. However, this beautiful site is home to incredible stories hidden in the ruins of its historic gun batteries and buildings. In the 1760s, Fort Hunt Park was part of President George Washington’s River Farm. As the United States westward expansion continued in the late 19th century, our eyes turned to the National Defense, in particular our coastal fortifications.
In the 1890s, the U.S. Military acquired the land where Fort Hunt sits, by then known as Sheridan’s Point to construct a gun battery of the same name. The Sheridan’s Point installation became known as “Fort Hunt” once the post was fully operational. The site was named in honor of Brevet Major General Henry Jackson Hunt (1819-1889), an artillery officer who served with distinction during the Mexican and American Civil Wars.
Some of the earliest structures built on the newly declared military installation that were constructed between 1898 and 1923, and included Gun Batteries that would later become known as Battery Mount Vernon, Battery Porter, Battery Robinson and Battery Sater. Remnants of these structures along with one of the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Quarters still stand today.
Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Matthew Virta and Vincent Santucci,
January 3, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Matthew Virta, October 15, 2007
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Interviewed by Vincent Santucci, September 29, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, February 11, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
May 5, 2008
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Interviewed by David Lassman, November 8 [year unstated]
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
October 7, 2007
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Interviewed by David Lassman,
June 7, 2009
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, February 15, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, November 30, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci Huntsville, April 22, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Sam Swersky and Doug Heimlich,
December 5, 2006 and January 18, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
October 25, 2010
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Interviewed by Vincent Santucci and David Lassman, September 27, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Sam Swersky, May 10, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, No date
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
May 14 and 15, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vincent Santucci, and Jackie Dannenberg,
April 21, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
November 6, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
January 16, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vince Santucci, Steve Kleinman and Mark Jacobsen, September 13, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
November 21, 2006; March 9, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, April 23, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Matthew Virta, and Vince Santucci, No date
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vince Santucci, Steve Kleinman and Mark Jacobsen, September 13, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
January 17 and 18, 2008
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Interviewed by Vince Santucci and David Lassman, May 6, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Matthew Virta and Vince Santucci, May 16, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, February 13, 2008
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Interviewed by Karen Kinsey,
September 13, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Sam Swersky, May 7 and 8, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
September 12, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Sam Swersky, February 6, 2007 and March 13, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
April 2, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
September 5, 2009
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Interviewed by John Chambers,
January 10, 2008 and January 24, 2008 (by Brandon Bies, Vincent Santucci, Mathew Virta and Dan Gross)
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies Sam Johnson, Sam Swersky,
Matt Virta, Vince Santucci and John Bardar, July 13, 2006 and January 29, 2007
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Interviewed by Vincent Santucci Hermitage, April 5, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, September 16, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
May 30 and 31, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
April 2, 2009
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
July 23 and 24, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vincent Santucci, and Steven Kleinman,
February 17, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Matthew Virta,
April 19, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vincent Santucci and David Lassman,
February 10, 2009
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Sam Swersky, September 14-15, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vincent Santucci, Dana Dierkes, and Pam Fessler, June 16, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Vincent Santucci and George Weidinger
July 29, 2008
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
September 17, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Sam Swersky, May 9, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
August 30 and 31, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, February 12, 2008
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Interviewed by Vincent Santucci, Brandon Bies and Dan Gross, January 28, 2010
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Interviewed by David Lassman, November 15, 2010
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies, Sam Swersky, and Vincent Santucci,
October 25, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies and Vincent Santucci, November 29, 2007
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
September 13, 2006
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Interviewed by Brandon Bies,
September 16, 2010
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Interviewed by Vincent Santucci and David Lassman, joined 2nd day by Brandon Bies, Dan Gross, and George Coin, March 12 and 18, 2010
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