Federal Hill Park facts for kids

Federal Hill Park is a cool park in Baltimore, Maryland. It's about 10 acres big and sits on the south side of the city's famous Inner Harbor. This park is a well-known spot in Baltimore.

From the park, you can see amazing views of the city's downtown buildings. Many people take photos here, looking across the Inner Harbor. The neighborhood around the park is also called Federal Hill. It's named after this important hill.

The hill used to be made of jagged red clay cliffs. People even mined clay from it long ago. Captain John Smith first saw this hill in 1608. He was exploring the Chesapeake Bay from Jamestown, Virginia.

Baltimore city bought the hill in 1880. Before that, it was used as a fort by the Union Army during the American Civil War. Today, it's a city park, managed by the Department of Recreation and Parks.

Discovering Federal Hill's Past

Who First Saw Federal Hill?

The first English explorer to see Federal Hill was Captain John Smith. He was a famous explorer and settler from England. In June 1608, Smith sailed from Jamestown, Virginia. He went up the Chesapeake Bay for 19 days.

His journey ended when he sailed up the Patapsco River. He called this river "Bolus" because of its red clay banks. Smith reported seeing "a great red bank of clay" next to a natural harbor. Early settlers in Baltimore Town called this area "John Smith’s Hill."

How Did Federal Hill Get Its Name?

In May 1788, people in Baltimore had a big parade. They were celebrating Maryland agreeing to the United States Constitution. Maryland was the seventh state to approve it.

The parade featured a 15-foot model of a sailing ship. It was called the "Federalist." A young naval hero named Joshua Barney led it. The plan was to put the ship on top of John Smith’s Hill.

It was a huge party! Thousands of people celebrated. They had lots of food and drinks. Everyone was having so much fun. They decided to slide the "Federalist" down the hill. Then, they launched it into "The Basin" (now the Inner Harbor).

The ship later sailed to Annapolis. From there, it went up the Potomac River. It was presented to General George Washington at his home, Mount Vernon. This celebration was so memorable. Baltimoreans renamed ‘John Smith’s Hill’ to "Federal Hill." This is how the park got its name!

Watching for Ships: The Observatory

Federal Hill's great views were used for business in 1795. Captain David Porter set up a "marine observatory" there. It was a signal tower. From the tower, people could see about 15 miles down the Patapsco River.

When a ship was coming, a watchman would raise a special flag. This flag would tell merchants and ship owners. They would know that a ship was about to arrive.

Federal Hill During the War of 1812

A military fort was built on Federal Hill. This was to prepare for an attack by the British. The British had been attacking the Chesapeake Bay area.

On September 12, 1814, British ships arrived. They brought 3,000 soldiers. The soldiers landed southeast of the city. They marched to attack Baltimore.

That night, they reached hills on the east side of town. About 10,000 American soldiers were waiting there. They had many cannons. Major General Samuel Smith led them. They stopped the British army.

Two statues honor two battle commanders. General Smith and Major George Armistead. These statues are on the north side of Federal Hill Park today.

The next day, September 13, British ships fired at Fort McHenry. This fort guarded the harbor. Major George Armistead and 1,000 defenders fought back. The British ships then sailed away. They realized their attack on the city had failed. The Battle of Baltimore was over.

The statues of Smith and Armistead are still there. They remind us of this important victory.

Federal Hill in the Civil War

Federal Hill became very important during the American Civil War (1861-1865). It was used for military purposes again. In May 1861, soldiers from Massachusetts arrived. General Benjamin F. Butler was in charge.

They built a small fort on Federal Hill. They placed many cannons there. The cannons pointed towards downtown Baltimore. Their goal was to make sure Baltimore and Maryland stayed loyal to the North.

The Union Army built a wall around the fort. For the rest of the Civil War, it was called Fort Federal Hill. Today, you can still see a large flag and some cannons. There is also a monument for Civil War veterans. These remind us of the hill's history.

Federal Hill in Recent Times

For many years, Federal Hill was a busy shipping area. It was like Fell's Point. The hill itself was mined for sand. This left some underground caves.

In the 1960s, people started fixing up homes in the area. Federal Hill was almost changed by a highway plan. But residents fought against it. They worked together and stopped the plans.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Inner Harbor was rebuilt. This made Federal Hill a popular place to live. It was close to the city's business and fun spots.

Because of traffic and building, the hill has collapsed a few times. The city had to spend money to fix it. A big repair project finished in 1995. In 2000, the park was rededicated. This was after a $2 million project to stop erosion.

Federal Hill Park Today

Today, Federal Hill Park offers one of the best views of the Inner Harbor. The "great red bank of clay" is now a green hillside. People come here for picnics and to look at the stars.

Monuments and cannons from the Civil War are in the park. They add to the history. The park has a nice path that looks over the city. You'll often see bikers, hikers, and parents with strollers enjoying the park.

Fun Things to Do at Federal Hill

At the bottom of Federal Hill Park, there are fun places to play. You can find a basketball court. It was recently updated by Under Armour. There's also Rash Field. This area has many activities. You can play beach volleyball there. There's also a fenced-in playground for kids.