For over two centuries, Fort McNair has sat at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers in Washington, DC. In 1791 Major Pierre C. L’Enfant established a military reservation on the outcropping between the two rivers. By the early 1900s the fort had two new major additions: a penitentiary and a general hospital. The hospital was the predecessor to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, while the penitentiary is most famous for  being where the conspirators of President Lincoln’s assassination were imprisoned, tried, and executed.

Today, Fort Leslie J. McNair is best known as the home of the National Defense University. It is also home to the headquarters of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington and has a residence reserved for the U.S. Army’s vice chief of staff.

Support for the installation falls to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, as Fort McNair technically falls under JBMHH. On base housing usually gets referred to Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, or Joint Base Andrews. However, if ever there’s a reason to live in the District, this is probably the most ideal. Getting to and from Fort McNair is easy with an abundance of public transit options. Most people we’ve spoken to have fallen in love with Northwest DC, and we’ll show you why. If you’re willing to sacrifice square footage, downsize to one car, and crave city living—this is your chance! If not, there are many feasible options farther from the city (Arlington, Bethesda, Alexandria) that offer a more suburban lifestyle, but with a longer commute.