Battle of Bladensburg
August 24, 1814

The Battle of Bladensburg was a turning point in the War of 1812 before the burning of Washington, DC and the eventual Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry. Major American figures were on the field that day – James Madison, James Monroe, Joshua Barney, and Francis Scott Key. While the battle was a loss for the American forces, it was also a time when the government realized the need for a stronger unified military. 

Prior to the 2000s, there was little to no recognition or available educational interpretation of this battle. However, between 2010 and 2014, in alignment with the national Star-Spangled 200 and statewide commemorations led by then-Governor Martin O'Malley's Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the Prince George’s County Committee on the War of 1812 and the Battle of Bladensburg Task Force worked to tell this regional story with international implications in an accurate and visible way. These local groups were successful in attracting the State Highway Administration to do significant archaeological work at Battle-era historic sites - information that is critical in our understanding of the battle. 

This website by Anacostia Trails Heritage Area is a collection of the research, events, and efforts made by many during that flurry of excitement and attention of the 200th Anniversary. As intended, those efforts resulted in signage, reports, educational materials, and research that remains incredibly relevant and accessible. Our work is ongoing and we have exciting news to share!

On February 3, 2025, the Bladensburg Battlefield was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District. The research, mapping, and technical writing was led by Richard Ervin, Senior Archaeologist at the Maryland Department of Transportation's State Highway Administration. Because of the sensitivity of potential archaeological value of the Battlefield, the full National Register Nomination is not available online but is available for research purposes at the Maryland Historical Trust library in Crownsville, Maryland.

Based on the National Register Nomination and other news resources, the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area recently completed work funding by the NPS American Battlefield Protection Program Interpretive Scoping Grant to reevaluate current historical interpretation of the Battle of Bladensburg at Bladensburg Waterfront Park and surrounding areas. Implementation of "BLADENSBURG BATTLEFIELD, WAR OF 1812 INTERPRETATION SCOPING REPORT PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MARYLAND" (April 2025) will take funding not yet secured as well as the continued collaboration of many public and private stakeholders.