Point Lookout

During the Civil War, General George McClellan's Peninsula Campaign failed to capture Richmond, and the Union Army built a hospital at Point Lookout to treat the injured soldiers. After the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union established a prisoner-of-war site at Point Lookout for captured prisoners. During its two-year existence, more than 50,000 prisoners were at the site. Only tents were provided to prisoners for shelter, which were insufficient, and 3,384 prisoners died. The prisoners were originally buried in two cemeteries nearby. In 1870, the state of Maryland moved the bodies to a more favorable site one-mile inland, and the individual graves could not be identified, so the remains were buried in a common grave. An 80-foot-tall granite monument was built at the gravesite, with the known names of the people buried at the site. There is a marble monument as well.

A museum about Point Lookout's history as a prisoner-of-war camp for captured Confederate soldiers and civilians.

Fort Lincoln was one of three forts built to defend Point Lookout during the Civil War. It is the only surviving structure from the Civil War at Point Lookout. Fort Lincoln is a four-sided earthen fort with cannon platforms, a powder magazine, and a sally port entrance. The fort itself is original, but the four buildings inside the fort are reconstructions based on military blueprints.

Lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula, built in 1830.

A 710-foot-long fishing pier. A valid Coastal Sport Fishing license and appropriate stamps are required for those age 16 and older.

Sandy beach for public swimming. Showers and restrooms are available.