Veterans Day Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the End of World War I at Fort McHenry, November 10th and 11th

The National Park Service at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine invites visitors to reflect on the sacrifices made by veterans during a special weekend of living history and commemorative programs. This year’s event will remember the origins of Veterans day one hundred years ago in 1918, when an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations came into effect, bringing an end to World War I. It will also highlight the important role of Fort McHenry during and following World War I as the site of US Army General Hospital No.2.

A special exhibit in the Visitor Center gives a glimpse of this time in history when Fort McHenry served as the largest receiving hospital in the country for wounded soldiers from the European front. General Hospital No. 2 was home to a great variety of innovations in reconstructive surgery, occupational therapy, and the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, and many of the treatments pioneered then shaped the medical practices of today.

Saturday, November 10
• World War I Centennial Programs at Fort McHenry—Help park rangers raise a 48-star flag above the Fort at 10:00 am and explore some hands-on history exhibits in our World War I Centennial Room. Wearing uniforms of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, interpreters will discuss Fort McHenry’s busiest era of military service when an expansive 3,000-bed military hospital was constructed there to receive and treat the wounded returning from the Western Front. At 2:15, join us in the Visitor Center for a special presentation on the history and legacy of General Hospital No. 2 at Fort McHenry.

• Ceremony at Baltimore National Cemetery—A special ceremony will be held on the grounds of the Baltimore National Cemetery located at 5501 Frederick Ave, Catonsville, MD 21228. At 10:00 am Fort McHenry rangers and volunteers will honor the service of Nurse Emily Raine Williams. Williams served as the Chief Nurse at Fort McHenry General Hospital No. 2 from 1917—1919. On the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, she will be honored with a ceremony including readings, the playing of taps, and the singing of the national anthem.