A National Park Service crew working on a trail in a section of Fort Totten Park in Northeast D.C. on Wednesday discovered a 75 mm World War I-era shell revealed by recent heavy rains.
The section of the park, east of the Fort Totten Metro station and west of South Dakota Avenue Northeast, and bounded to the north and south by Galloway and Gallatin streets, is currently closed.
The National Park Service provided an update on Friday afternoon, noting the ordnance was an empty 75 mm shell. The projectile end of the shell is about the same size as a dollar bill.
The Park Service continues to keep the area closed and is investigating the soil in the area.
The area is marked by caution tape and warning signs have been installed.
The Army is evaluating the ordnance and is expected to excavate it and destroy it at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia.
The park was originally part of D.C.’s defenses during the Civil War.
See the approximate location of the closure in the map below.
[google_map latitude=”38.9523196″ longitude=”-76.9985836″ zoom=”15″ height=”300px” location_label=”Fort Totten Park” dynamic_map=”false”]
