Neighborhood: East of the River
Address: Erie Street near Morris Road; parking lot of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Fort site is in the woods adjacent to the parking lot. A historic marker is located at the corner of the lot.
Hours: Dawn until dusk
Metro: Anacostia (green line), W1 or W2 Metro Bus toward Naylor & Good Hope Roads (Naylor Gardens)

Drive the steep hill of Morris Street and into the parking lot of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and look back at the city for a breathtaking surprise. Towering 380 feet above the Potomac, this overlook stands next to the original site of Fort Stanton. A historic marker is located at the corner of the parking lot.

Fort Stanton began in 1861 as the first of the approximately 64 forts surrounding Washington, DC, charged with defending the city from Confederate attacks. On this side of the Anacostia, it was joined by Fort Dupont, Fort Greble, Fort Carroll, and others in an almost seamless line of defenses guarding the southern border of the city. It was located strategically to protect the Washington Navy Yard across the Anacostia.

Today, Fort Stanton is a park maintained by the National Park Service.

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