Harpers Ferry

September 14, 2011

Today didn't start out as good as I hoped.  Using my GPS we started driving towards Harpers Ferry National Historic Park.  Now Harpers Ferry is in West Virginia.  The GPS took us towards Maryland.  OK, I figured it was faster using the Interstate.  The place we wound up going to was not the town or the historic area.  We finally did get there but it was an interesting drive.
Harpers Ferry is famous for a couple of reasons. One, it was partially involved in the Battle of Antietam. Two, it is the site of the John Brown Raid.

John Brown believed he could free the slaves, and he selected Harpers Ferry as his starting point. Determined to seize the 100,000 weapons at the arsenal and to use the mountains for guerrilla warfare, abolitionist Brown began his raid on Sunday evening, October 16, 1859. His 21-man self-styled “army of liberation”, which included three of his sons and five free African Americans, seized the armory and several other strategic points. Thirty-six hours after the raid began, with most of his men killed or wounded, brown was captured in the armory fire enginehouse (now known as John Brown’s Fort) when US Marines stormed the building. Brought to trial at nearby Charles Town, Brown was found guilty of treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia, conspiring with slaves to rebel, and murder. He was hanged on December 2, 1859. John Brown’s short-lived raid failed, but his trial and execution focused the nation’s attention on the moral issue of slavery and headed the country toward civil war. Today John Brown’s Fort and the arsenal ruins are part of the legacy of the nation’s struggle with slavery.

Harpers Ferry sits on the point of land where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. It is surrounded by hills. During the Battle of Antietam this layout of the town allowed 2,000 Confederate soldiers to capture 10,000 Union soldiers and the town. If you hold the high ground here, you hold the town.

Charles Town was originally built by Charles Washington, brother to George. George owned a large amount of land in the area and many of his relatives moved here. They have a pretty nice little museum in town which we visited.

When we got back to the rig it started raining.  There was also a lot of thunder and lightening.  Of course it was raining, we plan on leaving tomorrow.  We will be staying late as we only have 59 miles to go and check-in isn't until 2:00 pm.  They charge you extra if you come in early. 

So here are all the pictures I took.