Named after George Washington, Washington D.C was founded after the American Revolution between 1965 to 1983. The first inhabitants of Washington were the Piscataway and the Algonquian who settled along River Potomac. In the 17th century, the early European settlers moved to Washington D.C around the Anacostia River. These settlers later moved in 1699 to Maryland where they made settlements. Washington D.C is one of the most visited states in the U.S. with over 20 million visitors annually.
Fort Dupont where the Main Trail is located stands at 376 acres of land in Washington D.C and the park is managed by the National Park Service. The park is named from the ancient earthwork left behind from the Civil War. Being one the largest parks Fort Dupont Park has a remarkable watershed making it famous for nature walks, picnics, sports, environmental education, gardening, mountain bike riding, and indoor ice skating.
Fort Dupont has several garrisons and guns that although they weren’t of any use in war, played a big part in freeing people. The fortifications paid homage to the slaves who were escaping to form their community away from slavery. The park still holds archaeological evidence of these barracks; this is one of the reasons why visitors are attracted to this park. Fort Dupont Park is one of the few Civil War Defenses of Washington sites under the management of National Capital Park East making it one of the frequently visited places in Washington D.C. Development of many trails, including the Main Trail, happened after the establishment of Fort Dupont to allow visitors and the locals enjoy the rich history and beauty of Fort Dupont and Washington D.C in general.