Francis Scott Key Memorial Park

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park occupies a prominent site overlooking the Potomac River at the Key Bridge entrance to the District of Columbia in Georgetown. It is adjacent to the historic C & O Canal and Tow Path, and near the site of Key’s home at the time he wrote the National Anthem. The design includes gentle terraces of meadow-like plantings which follow the steep terrain and allow interesting vistas of Washington, DC, both far and near. The park’s centerpiece is an arbored brick and sandstone terrace that provides the setting for a bronze bust of Francis Scott Key by sculptor Betty Mailhouse Dunston. In a greensward nearby, a fifteen-star, fifteen-stripe flag flies day and night. It is a replica of the flag that inspired the anthem as it flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the bombing by the British in 1814. Seatwalls set against the slopes and a secondary terrace overlooking the canal welcome visitors to rest and reflect on the historical significance of this place.

© Barrett Doherty

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park 1
© Roger Foley

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park 2
© Roger Foley

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park 3
© Roger Foley

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park 4
© Roger Foley

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park 5
© James van Sweden