This Former Military Fort In Maryland Is Now A Historic Destination That Doubles As A Scenic Mountain Community

It's a rare success story when, over the course of centuries, a place manages to survive the rise and fall of multiple industries and reinvents itself again in modernity as a thriving community and tourist destination. Fort Ritchie is located in north-central Maryland — just south of the Pennsylvania border and about 80 miles northwest of Baltimore — and it is one of these exceptional cases. Once the site of an ice-making industry, it became a National Guard training facility that turned into a legendary intelligence training ground for the U.S. Army during WWII. Even after the war ended, it continued operating as military hub for decades. Though it almost fell into permanent abandon after the Base Realignment and Closures Act of 1995, Fort Ritchie was purchased by a local private investor and has undergone a "Ritchie Revival" since 2021, preserving historic elements while welcoming new businesses, shops, eateries, and bars. The grounds are open to self-guided tours, while nearby artificial lakes invite recreational boating and fishing.

If you were to drink a glass of milk or a pint of beer in the Baltimore or Washington, D.C., region around 1900, it was likely thanks to natural ice harvested by Buena Vista Ice Company on the land Fort Ritchie would later occupy. Around 1889, Buena Vista created two artificial reservoirs on a 400-acre parcel of Appalachia. However, machine-made ice supplanted natural ice in the 1910s, and in 1926, Maryland purchased 638 acres of land, including Buena Vista's lakes and much of the surrounding land, to build Camp Ritchie, which was used to train the state's National Guard. During WWII, the U.S. Army leased the site for intelligence and psychological warfare training, and the Ritchie Boys — predominantly German-Jewish recruits trained as spies and interrogators at Fort Ritchie — forged a legendary reputation there. 

Fort Ritchie is located in Washington County, outside the small, unincorporated community of Cascade. It's about 16 miles east of Hagerstown, an affordable hub city set along the historic rail lines that once transported Buena Vista's ice to urban centers. The former Western Maryland Railroad is now partially preserved for scenic heritage train rides, and part of it now comprises the paved multi-use path known as the Western Maryland Rail Trail.

Fort Ritchie is an excellent hub for outdoor activities, providing prolific scenic views in its mountainous surroundings. It's nestled about 1,400 feet above sea level at the base of Quirauk Mountain, among the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, with cooler temperatures once considered ideal for Buena Vista's ice-making. The area also enjoys proximity to the renowned Appalachian Trail, which has plenty of hiking and camping. Nearby, Catoctin Mountain Park is known for its stunning fall foliage, trails, and camping (Plus, it's the home of Camp David). 

After WWII, Camp Ritchie was re-classified as a fort and continued operations as a support hub for nearby Site R, a clandestine contingency alternative to the Pentagon in the event of nuclear war. Today, one of the best things to do at Fort Ritchie is take a self-guided tour of its expansive grounds. Roughly 50 historic buildings — many durably constructed from stone and others built by the Great Depression's Works Progress Administration — help tell the fort's story, particularly the former Brigade Officers Mess Hall, which opened in 2023 as the Ritchie History Museum. It now includes a replica of a WWII interrogation tent, military documents, Ritchie Boys relics, rare weaponry, and a growing collection of additional exhibits. The fort's continued revitalization is ongoing, with new businesses frequently opening.

The lakes created by Buena Vista Ice Company — Lake Royer (lower) and Lake Wastler (upper) — remain on the grounds of Fort Ritchie, open for public recreational use near the landmark Normandy and Liberty trees. Boaters and anglers should check in at the Community Center or Fort Ritchie Fire House for a free, mandatory permit. There are no concrete boat ramps, but paddlers can launch from a sandy area north of the dock. Lakeside Hall, a former Army officers' club on Lake Royer's shores, is now a beautifully restored events venue.

As of this writing, a number of businesses have moved into Fort Ritchie — with more on the way, as well as residences. In the summer of 2026, a new extension of Stone House Urban Winery opened in Fort Ritchie's castle-like former National Guard headquarters. Meanwhile, in Building 102, the Top Secret Tap Room features rotating taps and classic pub fare: its basement theater below was once the site of mock Nazi rallies during WWII intelligence trainings. Newly opened The Briefing Room serves cocktails and small bites in one of the fort's historic "finger buildings," now modeled after an early-to-mid-century officers' lounge. One more historic must-see is Building 305, utilized by the Japanese American intelligence team. During modern renovations, a 1940s mural depicting artists at work was discovered on the walls. Today, the mural is retained as part of the Nisei Gallery and Artisan Village, which displays artisan work and hosts an artists' studio.

Fort Ritchie is located off State Route 550, 20 miles northwest of Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR), serviced by Allegiant Airlines. Travelers will find more alternatives at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), 70 miles southeast, or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), 65 miles south.