Eastport Walking Tour Stops 7-8
Stop #7 is where Fort Horn once stood. Near here at the end of Eastern Avenue, is the site of 1 of 3 forts built to defend Annapolis Harbor from the Royal Navy during the Revolutionary War. Built in 1776, Fort Horn had major defenses of trenches, earthen ramparts and 15 cannon. Another fort was located across the river from here, and the third was on the other side of the harbor where the Naval Academy now stands. Together, these forts could triangulate cannon fire across the mouth of the Severn River, a project any British captain would find intimidating.
In any case, they were never tested, because Annapolis was never invaded, neither during the Revolutionary War nor the War of 1812. During the Civil War, the first served as a hospital for Union soldiers recovering from smallpox. No trace of the force remains today. |
Stop #8 is the current site of the Eastport Yacht Club. Not your typical "blue blazer" crowd, the Eastport Yacht Club was launched in 1980 in the upstairs room at Marmaduke's Pub, now Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on Severn Avenue. The clubhouse at the current site on First Street opened in 1992 and was recently remodeled to accommodate up to 600 members who participate in the club's extensive calendar of sailing regattas. The club is perhaps best known for hosting the nationally renowned "Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade", a festive event held each December featuring hundreds of sailboats and powerboats decorated with elaborate holiday light displays.
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