▁the ▁inv ading ▁British ▁Navy ▁land ed ▁at ▁Old ▁Point ▁Com fort ▁and ▁used ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁tower ▁as ▁an ▁observation ▁post . ▁From ▁there ▁they ▁inv aded ▁and ▁burn ed ▁Ham pton ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 8 1 3 , ▁and ▁then ▁set ▁the ▁capit ol ▁in ▁Washington ▁D . C . ▁on ▁fire ▁a ▁month ▁later ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 4 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Mar quis ▁de ▁La F ay ette ' s ▁famous ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 4 - 1 8 2 5 , ▁the ▁Mar quis ▁adm ired ▁the ▁Old ▁Point ▁Com fort ▁strong hold ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁designed ▁by ▁French ▁born ▁engineer ▁Simon ▁Bernard . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁centuries ▁Old ▁Point ▁Com fort ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁termin us ▁and ▁connection ▁point ▁for ▁passenger ▁and ▁express ▁fre ight ▁ships ▁connecting ▁cities ▁of ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay ▁by ▁both ▁water ▁and ▁rail ▁routes ▁with ▁Boston , ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁along ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁coast . ▁Rail ▁lines , ▁for ▁example ▁the ▁New ▁York , ▁Philadelphia ▁and ▁Nor folk ▁Rail road , ▁provided ▁rail ▁car ▁through ▁fer ry ▁service ▁from ▁Old ▁Point ▁Com fort ▁to ▁Cape ▁Charles ▁on ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Sh ore ▁of ▁Virginia ▁for ▁land ▁route ▁connections ▁to ▁points ▁north . ▁The ▁Zero ▁M ile ▁Post ▁for ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Railway ▁is ▁also ▁here , ▁and ▁represents ▁the ▁end