Western Front Association
East Coast Branch (USA)

WWI Sites

WWI Sites & Memorials in the Mid-Atlantic Region

Here is a guide to sites and memorials associated with WWI in the Mid-Atlantic region. The list is by no means comprehensive, so if you know of one we missed, please contact us!

Primary WWI Sites

Maryland War Memorial Building (Baltimore, MD) - The Maryland War Memorial Building and the War Memorial Plaza were both erected in 1927 in Baltimore to honor those Marylanders who died in World War I. The building was designed by Baltimore architect, Lawrence Hall Fowler. The building was later rededicated to honor all Marylanders who have served our country. Inside the building is large auditorium and a small museum with exhibits about the history of Maryland military units. Outside of the building are six war trophy German WWI artillery pieces. Click here for a virtual tour of the War Memorial Building and here for more photographs.

Fort George G. Meade - Established in 1917, Fort Meade was one of sixteen cantonments created to train National Army divisions for the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). Today, it is one of nine cantonments that are still active military installations. The center of Fort Meade’s historical memory is the post museum which has a wealth of WWI military artifacts, especially those related to the early US Army Tank Corps. Of special note are the exceptional WWI FT-17 tank “Five of Hearts” that fought in France and a 1920’s Mark VII Liberty tank, one of only four in existence today. Many streets are named after WWI tank corps soldiers killed in France, such as Roberts Avenue named after Corporal Harold W. Roberts of the 344th Tank Battalion; a Medal of Honor recipient who is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. In addition, the locations of several WWI sites, such as the headquarters of Patton’s 304th Tank Brigade, Eisenhower’s family quarters from 1919 to 1922, and site of the headquarters for the 29th and 78th Infantry Divisions, are remembered with descriptive markers.

Epiphany Chapel (Odenton, MD) - The only surviving World War I era chapel in the United States. Epiphany Chapel was built by civilians in support of soldiers training at Camp Meade during World War I. Epiphany Chapel, now known as Epiphany Episcopal Church, is still active today.

Museums

National Museum of the Marine Corps (Triangle, VA) - Visitors to the World War I gallery get an inkling of what it was like for Marines at the Battle of Belleau Wood. The gallery features a two-minute film about Belleau Wood and an oral history exhibit where Marines and corpsmen describe the battle. On display are an 1897 French 75mm field gun, a Thomas Morse S-4B aircraft, and a fully restored Liberty truck, as well as personal weapons, uniforms, and equipment of those who fought on both sides.

National Museum of the U.S Navy (Washington, DC) - The U.S. Navy While the U.S. combat forces entered World War I relatively late in the war, many U.S. ships were dispatched to join the Allied navies to deal with German submarines, or U-boats. A mine similar to those the Navy laid in the North Sea to discourage U-Boats from cruising is on display in this exhibit. A captured German flag and recovered U-boat War Service Badge on display are evidence of the Navy's success in reducing U-boat attacks. The Navy also contributed eight 15-inch railway guns, each manufactured at the Washington Navy Yard. Visitors may watch footage of the railway gun at work in France. One of the cars sits in Willard Park, across from the Museum.

Memorials

Grave of Henry N. Gunther (Baltimore, MD) - The last American casualty of WWI.

Pershing Park: Memorial to Gen. John J. Pershing and the AEF, WWI (Washington, DC)

First Division War Memorial (Washington, DC)

Second Infantry Division Memorial (Washington, DC)

District of Columbia World War Memorial (Washington, DC)

WWI 14-inch Navy Railway Gun (Washington, DC)

1917-1918 Memorial (Baltimore, MD)

World War 1917 (Glen Burnie, MD)

WWI Sites

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