AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY TRIP! | Postcard: Map of West Virginia |
Welcome to my West Virginia page,
The border of West Virginia was close enough to Washington D.C. so, we went for the day, especially to visit Harper's Ferry. It was an excellent choice for a nice day trip, but I'd also have liked to spend a few days there.
Harper's Ferry, is a small town, full of early U.S. history. It is situated on the Potomac River, about 55 miles northwest of D.C. The Potomac River breaks through the Blue Ridge Mountains and meets the Shenandoah River at Harper's Ferry. The views are awesome out there, but that is not only what brought fame to this remote area.
The village was named for Robert Harper who purchased the site in 1747. The United States Armory and Arsenal was established at Haper's Ferry in 1799 and about thrity years later an era of economic and industrial growth was in full swing with the convergence of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the Winchester & Potomac Railroad, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. All providing necessary transportation through the mountains and rivers to reach the area.
African-American History, John Brown and the Civil War really threw the spotlight on Harper's Ferry. The first black arrived here in the mid-1700s in the form of Mr. Harper's slave. Eventually, the town had about 150 slaves and about 150 freed slaves. The fanatic abolitionist, John Brown, raided the Arsenal at Harper's Ferry in 1859 to get his hands on the 100,000 weapons stored there. He planned to use the Blue Ridge Mountains for guerrilla warfare but was caught, tried and hung.
During the Civil War, Harpers Ferry, a Union garrison town attracted runaway slaves who sought refuge. At this time, Union and Confederate troops moved through Harpers Ferry frequently. The town changed hands eight times between 1861 and 1865, including the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War.
Following the Civil War, in 1867, Storer College, an integrated school designed primarily to educate former slaves but open to students of all races and both genders was established and Frederick Douglass served as a trustee. Even before the twentith century, Jim Crow laws and legal segregation ended the promise of freedom for slaves at Harper's Ferry. It wasn't until 1954 that segregation was finally ended.
Throughout it's history the Harper's Ferry water gap has attracted human attention. Native Americans, early settlers, railroad and canal used the gap in the Blue Ridge as an avenue of travel and transport. Now, only the Harper's Ferry National Historic Park and the railroad remains as an active reminder of the town's rich heritage. If you have the opportunity see for yourself, the history and the beauty.
I hope you enjoy your visit,
Linda |
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