Completed in 1834 and named in honor of President James Monroe, Fort Monroe is recognized as the largest stone fort ever built in the United States. Nicknamed "Freedom's Fortress," this Union-held fortification provided a safe haven for thousands of enslaved people during the Civil War. It was also the site where the Army of the Potomac landed before beginning the march toward Richmond during the Peninsula Campaign.
Fort Monroe's history is interpreted for visitors at the Visitor & Education Center at 30 Ingalls Road and at the Casemate Museum located at 20 Bernard Road. Self guided walking tour brochures are available as well as the National Park Service's Fort Monroe Junior Ranger Program booklet. Programs and events at Fort Monroe are presented through a collaboration of the Fort Monroe Authority, the City of Hampton, and National Park Service.