| Harpers Ferry, situated on a point of land at the confluence of the
Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers and dominated by the Blue Ridge Mountains,
was a beckoning wilderness in the early 1700s. By mid-19th century,
it was a town of some 3,000 inhabitants, an important arms producing center,
and a transportation link between east and west. John Brown's raid
in 1859 and the Civil War thrust the town into national prominence.
Today, the National
Park Service maintains (quite well) the historic district and ambiance
of 19th century Harpers Ferry. A convenient parking lot and transportation
is provided, affording tourists free reign of the buildings and roads of
this historic corner of West Virginia. |
