Harpers Ferry National Historic Park and Much More...

This 4th of July, we had planned on going to Fort McHenry where the Star-Spangled Banner was written followed by fireworks on Baltimore Harbor, but Ryan didn't want to do that, so Scott and I shifted gears decided to go to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia for the day.

This is the upper visitor center.

This is the lower visitor center.

Photos of the exhibits in the lower Visitor Center.

I'd always heard about Harpers Ferry but didn't really know much about it. Geographically, Harpers Ferry is located as a border city on the convergence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers along the Blue Ridge Mountains in West Virginia but next to Virginia and Maryland across the rivers.

Not only is it the Visitor Center for Harpers Ferry, but it also the area for stamps for:

Appalachian Scenic Trail (2,180 mile footpath along the Appalachian Mountains from Maine to Georgia)
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (3,000 miles of waterway routes along the Chesapeake Bay with tributaries into VA, MD, DE, & DC. John Smith charted these waters from 1607-1609).
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (710 miles of trail between VA, MD, PA and DC)
Another Visitor Center for the Chesapeake and Ohio NHP also called the C&O Canal from yesterday...so I DID get to stamp by book at this site (184.5 miles of 74 canal locks and 11 aqueducts)

So, you can see that this location has a wealth of history and information! So, let's visit Harpers Ferry! First of all, it's important to note that parking for this location is NOT downtown where the shops are but up on the hill (171 Shoreline Dr.) at the Visitor Center. You can either walk down to the lower area of town or take the free shuttle down there. There are a lot of fun things to see if you walk, but if you're restricted physically or time-wise, the shuttle is also a great way to go. If you want to park downtown, you can always park at the railroad Depot (if there's space) but other than that, there isn't any parking in the lower town. And, yes, it's the B&O Railroad...like on your Monopoly Board for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad!

The main streets of Harpers Ferry tourist site are Shenandoah Street, High Street and Potomac Street and there's also the Point where you can see the convergence of the rivers at the Point. Many of these shops have reproductions inside to the period of the Civil War with people clothed in reproduction clothing, sheriff, dry goods, etc. Here are a few of these. I was intrigued with the Abraham Lincoln LIFE masks.

We also walked over the railroad footbridge into Maryland and looked over the rivers at the Appalachian Trail and C&O Canal Towpath where kayakers and tubers floated down the river.Be sure to check your map for locations that interest you. The NPS has a lot of maps of Harpers Ferry to choose from.

This was once a bridge or railroad over to Maryland.

George Washington envisioned military strength and chose Harpers Ferry as the site for a US Armory. Factories from the early 1800s saw innovations that fueled the Industrial Revolution. Ever hear of abolitionist John Brown? Well, he and his followers seized the armory to arm enslaved black men and spark a rebellion here in Harpers Ferry hoping to bring equality to the slaves. He was captured for his crimes in October 1861 and hung that December - the first martyr for the cause of freedom and equality for slaves. The John Brown Museum is across the street from the lower town visitor center which is next to John Brown's fort. The fort was originally constructed in 1848 as a guard and fire engine house and moved to it's current location.

John Brown Museum Building

Original Fort Site

This is my favorite quote by John Brown that still applies today to the convictions of his conscience toward slavery...

We had a little bite to eat at a small cafe in lower town. There are a few places here for ice cream, pulled pork, and all sorts of different kinds of dining.

If Civil War history is your thing, 5 Civil War battles occurred in Harpers Ferry and there is a battlefield driving tour to Bolivar Heights, Lower Bolivar Heights, Schoolhouse Ridge North and South and Murphy-Chambers Farm. So, it's a historic place for this as well. Harpers Ferry is full of Revolution, Education, Freedom, and Civil War history in the ability to make it come to life. What a great place to spend the 4th of July!

When we got back to our campsite at 3 p.m. Ryan and Josh came over for a campfire dinner. But, they spent more time of their cell phones doing Pokemon than talking...oh well.