Fort Reno Park

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Fort Reno Park is a park in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It is the highest point in the city, and was involved in the only Civil War battle to take place in the capital. Fort Reno, at 429 feet, is actually lower than the top of the Washington Monument, which rises 555 feet from nearly sea level. However, the sandstone castle-like fort structure on top and highpoint antenna farm raise the height above that of the monument. Residents can gather here on the 4th of July to look down on the fireworks display.

Fort Reno was originally constructed in 1863 by the 119th Pennsylvania Regiment. It was one of a string of forts circling Washington to defend it against the Confederates. Originally named Fort Pennsylvania, it was renamed in memory of Major General Jesse Lee Reno who was killed at the Battle of South Mountain in 1862. The fort had a dozen heavy guns and a contingent of 3,000 men, making it the largest fort of those surrounding Washington.

The fort saw action on July 10-12, 1864, when Robert E. Lee sent 22,000 Confederates led by General Jubal A. Early against the 9,000 Union troops defending Washington (Ulysses S. Grant had depleted the Union defenses for his siege of Petersburg). The Confederates attacked from the north in Maryland. The initial warnings came from Fort Reno lookouts spying movement by Rockville. The attack itself was directed about 4 miles to the east across Rock Creek at Fort Stevens. The battle is known as "Fort Stevens."

Fort Reno is now maintained by the National Park Service. Following the war the fort became a "Freetown" for freed slaves and later a reservoir.

Fort Reno is the location of an annual free summer concert series.