What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming

The city of Baltimore is full of expressions of different places in American history.  On the edge of the city, not far from the large modern football stadium, is found  the American Revolutionary era Fort McHenry.  

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​Fort McHenry National Monument is situated alongside the bay waters, which enabled it to protect the foundling city of Baltimore.  The scent of light sea water fills the air as  you walk around the fort.  Its condition has been kept up as such it makes it easy to travel back in time via one's imagination.  Walking outside the brick fortifications, one can visualise soldiers standing guard along the walls and near the cannons.  Inside the fort you can visit their living quarters, including the barracks and mess hall, which was just about the size of a tavern.  The fort is a fascinating place to set oneself into a specific period in US history.

​However, the most prominent and historically important portion of Fort McHenry isn't the fort itself, but something that has gone on to inspire millions of Americans for generations.  It is the Star Spangled Banner.  During a battle in the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key was at a point on one of the British ships out in the bay as both sides fought hard through the night.  It was this experience that led him to write the poem from which portions were used to form the US National Anthem.  

A replica of the Star Spangled Banner flies over Fort McHenry, and the original is housed inside its museum.  It is a massive flag.  While visiting the Fort, my children and I were privileged to take part in the folding ceremony, which utilized more than 20 people so as it would not touch the ground.  Its an honor I'll never forget, and it was on July 3rd, the eve of the United State's Independence Day.

​One other ceremonial set up is in the museum, where participation is in the theater that is built directly behind the wall that displays the original banner.   A short film is played on screen depicting the history of the fort, and more prominently, the battle & experience of that fateful night Francis Scott Key wrote his famous poem. The original handwritten version in its entirety  is displayed nearby.  At the end of the film, viewers are asked to rise and sing along to the US National Anthem.  While singing, the screen begins to rise, revealing open windows that view the fort and the beautiful Star Spangled Banner flying over it.  One can not help but to feel in that moment the gravity of the words, knowing now their precise inspiration.  It is emotional and impactful.  

Stepping foot into the source of historical events puts into the heart and mind a sense of reality that can change the perspective of that event's importance.  A song that millions know, even casually, gains a real heartbeat after experiencing its origins at Fort McHenry.