Watch CBS News

Fort McHenry To Get New Visitor Center

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Taking down the old to bring in the new.  The Fort McHenry Visitor Center as you may remember it is now gone and a new, bigger one is set to open.

Andrea Fujii has the story.

It's a milestone at Fort McHenry as the old visitors' center is no more.  In the background is the new building, more able to host the growing crowds.

"It was intended for a maximum of 250,000 visitors and Fort McHenry's hosted over 650,000 for years," said Superintendent Gay Vietzke.

People have flocked to the center that was built in 1964 to learn more about the birthplace of the National Anthem.  Francis Scott Key wrote the poem during the Battle of Baltimore as troops defended the harbor from British attack.

At three times the size of the old one, the center can better tell the fort's rich history.

"We'll have really a much more extensive exhibit that tells the story of the War in 1812 when Francis Scott Key was in the harbor and watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry," Vietzke said.

In this slow visitor season, the fort is taking the opportunity to demolish the old center now so the new one can open to anxious crowds.

The new visitors' center is open to the public, but the exhibits and video won't be ready until early March.

The demolition of the old center should be finished by Wednesday.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.