Battery Wilkin at Fort Washington Park
See the Artillery Batteries web page for an interactive location map.
Battery Wilkin was named for Captain Alexander Wilkin, a Union solider who was killed in the Battle of Tupelo during the Civil War. Construction began in 1899, and it was in service by 1902 and remained operational until 1928. It was one of the last batteries at Fort Washington to aid in defending Washington, D. C.
Top of Battery Wilkin at Fort Washington Park
The battery was outfitted with two 6-inch M1897MI guns mounted on M1898 disappearing carriages. These carriages could be lowered below the battery walls when loaded, then raised up over the walls to be fired. The recoil from the blast sent the carriages back down to the loading position. All guns were removed in 1930, the year after it was closed. To see a disappearing gun in action, watch the following video of a demonstration done at Battery Chamberlain in San Francisco.
The easiest way to reach Battery Wilkin is to park at the end of the road at Battery Meigs and walk .3 mile down the River Trail, which at that point is a dirt road. While not exactly difficult to reach, the battery is one of the more remote of the eight at Fort Washington Park, which is probably why the National Park Service hasn’t fenced it off despite the fact that the place is falling apart. Because it has not been sanitized for your protection, it is definitely one of the coolest of all batteries in the park. Broken railings and missing stairs make exploring the structure a challenge, and considering that parts of it could collapse at any time, a little dangerous. But what the hell…that’s what adventure is all about.
Broken railings and staircases at Battery Wilkin in Fort Washington Park
Battery Wilkin stands today as if soldiers simply vanished during a mid-day shift. Even the hoists for artillery shells still remain. Such contraptions are so rare to survive that they are usually turned into exhibits with wayside exhibits describing their use. Here they are simply rotting away. These devices were used to help move artillery shells from the lower level where they were stored to the upper level where the guns were located.
Equipment for transporting artillery shells between different levels of Battery Wilkin, Fort Washington Park
Equipment for transporting artillery shells between different levels of Battery Wilkin, Fort Washington Park
There are two ways to get to the top of Battery Wilkin. One is to walk around to the river side where you will see nothing but a small hill. However, this is not a natural hill. It is a mound of earth that covers the battery. A thick layer of dirt was used to not only absorb the impact of incoming artillery shells fired from enemy ships on the Potomac but also to camouflage the battery from such ships (keep in mind that the forest did not exist when the battery was operational and that there was a clear view to the river). To get to the top, simply climb the hill. You can get down to the level where the guns were mounted via ladders.
River side of Battery Wilkin at Fort Washington Park
Use the ladders to travel between different levels of Battery Wilkin at Fort Washington Park
You can also get to the top of the battery from the front side via a staircase at one end of the structure. The staircase is missing its railing and the entire thing doesn’t look too stable, so you’d better not be afraid of heights if you plan to take the stairs. For the faint of heart, use the hill route. This page isn’t updated regularly, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the staircase has been removed since I visited.
Staircases on either end of Battery Wilkin lead to the top, Fort Washington Park
The entrances into the battery were once sealed with wooden doors, but leave it to curious park visitors to tear them down. Walking inside reveals the same thing as in every other battery—nothing but graffitied walls and garbage. It is amazing how human curiosity will drive an otherwise law-abiding citizen to vandalize federal property just to see what is inside. A person will put more effort into tearing down a door than he will in going to work.
Busted doors lead into the interior of Battery Wilkin at Fort Washington Park
Interior of Battery Wilkin at Fort Washington Park
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Last updated on November 20, 2024
