Originally part of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, the land that is Fort Hunt Park has undergone several transformations. Batteries at Fort Hunt defended the Potomac River during the Spanish American War; the Civilian Conservation Corps operated a camp there during the Great Depression; and soldiers at Fort Hunt interrogated prisoners, trained pilots in escape and evasion, and combed German documents for intelligence during World War II. The Military Intelligence Service-X program, which communicated via coded correspondence with American POWs in European camps, created and coordinated shipments of escape and evasion kits disguised as humanitarian aid packages. Items included a baseball that contained radio parts and playing cards that had concealed maps. Today Fort Hunt is a favorite spot for picnicking.

Fort Hunt Park is located near the shores of the Potomac River in Virginia. Mixed hardwood forests and open fields provide a variety of habitats for birds and other wildlife. - NPS