There's a tiny town in the easternmost corner of West Virginia where big things happened. The area that eventually became Harpers Ferry was first settled in 1733, and has built up plenty of fascinating history ever since. The historic parts of the town are well-preserved, and you can get up close to where important events happened. Take a look!
Harpers Ferry is in a strategic location between the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, giving it an important role in our country's history.
The historic district is preserved as one of our national parks, and many significant buildings around town are still standing.
The national park also contains some of the battlefield areas where the Civil War was fought.
One of the most famous sites in the historic district is a reproduction of the 1848 fire engine house that became known as John Brown's Fort.
John Brown led a slave revolt in the town that was not successful at the time. Many of his men were captured and killed, and John Brown was executed. However, the events of the uprising helped to inspire the Civil War.
You can get an interactive look at how the raid went down at the nearby John Brown Wax Museum.
Wax figures help to tell the story to visitors.
You can see the haunting remains of St. John's Episcopal Church.
The building was damaged in the Civil War, and eventually abandoned and left to crumble until the National Park Service took over the care of the ruins.
Nearby is Harper Cemetery, where some of Harpers Ferry's first settlers are buried, along with many soldiers.
Take a stop by Jefferson Rock, where Thomas Jefferson himself once stood.
Thomas Jefferson said of the view: "this scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic."
From here you can look across the Potomac and see Maryland and Virginia.
The steeple seen here is St. Peter's Catholic church.
The church has a role in Harpers Ferry history.
The original church was built in 1833, and then modified in 1896 to the style we see today. It was the only church in Harpers Ferry to escape destruction during the Civil War.
Also worth a look is the remains of the town on Virginius Island.
The town suffered during the Civil War, and was also impacted by flooding. It was eventually abandoned. You can now tour the island and see the ruins of the town and the factories that were once there.
While you're in town, get a sweet taste of history at True Treats Historic Candies,
True Treats Historic Candy has treats like those made from the earliest time in history through the mid-1900s. Find them at 144 High St, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425.
With all its history, Harpers Ferry has collected a few spooky tales of the years. Read more about some of the scariest Harpers Ferry ghost stories.
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