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George Washington Memorial ParkwayEvening view of the falls at Great Falls Park
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George Washington Memorial Parkway
Fort Hunt
Aerial view of Fort Hunt during the 1920s
Aerial view of Fort Hunt during the 1920s

The Fort Hunt Oral History Project

During World War II, Fort Hunt was home to two highly classified military intelligence programs. Now, sixty years later, the men who once served this country in a top-secret assignment are being given the opportunity to finally tell their stories.

Fort Hunt was built just before the Spanish-American War. It served as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp until World War II. During the war, Fort Hunt became an interrogation site for German prisoners of war. It was known as Post Office Box 1142, and those who worked there were under direct orders to refer to the location only by that address. 

In an effort to better understand the unspoken history of Fort Hunt, the George Washington Memorial Parkway initiated research into this incredible story. Clues uncovered in recently declassified military documents have led park rangers to the names of veterans who served at Fort Hunt. 

Park rangers are conducting a detailed oral history program that will permanently record the stories and history of Fort Hunt. If you, or someone you know, served at Fort Hunt and would like to be a part of this project, please contact us through email. 

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Mary McLeod Bethune pins a corsage on Eleanor Roosevelt.  

Did You Know?
Eleanor Roosevelt twice came to Daytona Beach, Florida, as the guest of Mary McLeod Bethune. She stayed in Mrs. Bethune's home on the campus of the Bethune-Cookman College.

Last Updated: December 26, 2006 at 15:34 EST