Fort Ritchie

Maryland's ghost towns are mill villages, iron furnaces, and canal towns from the state's industrial era.

Fort Ritchie is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washington County, Maryland, United States, just south of the Pennsylvania state line. The population was 276 at the 2000 census. Fort Ritchie is a former U.S. military base that closed in September 1998, pursuant to the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania is immediately to the north.

Fort Ritchie started with soldiers before it had settlers — the frontier's usual order of operations.

The on-the-ground condition of Fort Ritchie is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Fort Ritchie is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Fort Ritchie is roughly 39.7044, -77.4986 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.