Harper's Ferry West Virginia

I'm so excited to begin a new travel series with you!  This time we are exploring the great state of West Virginia!  My, what a gorgeous state this is, in fact, you will be hard-pressed trying to find a ugly spot in this state as it is filled with stunning vistas of mountains and green valleys and lots and lots of waterfalls!

We began our adventure at the farthest northeast corner of the state:   Harper's Ferry.  After spending Easter at my daughter's home in Indiana, we drove nine hours east until we reached the Harper's Ferry area where we would spend the night,  the following morning we went to Harper's Ferry.

Harper's Ferry is a National Historical Park.  It is a historic 1800's town.  Some buildings/homes are owned by the government and others are private residences/businesses.  What makes Harper's Ferry so unique is that it was the site of a rebellion of the abolitionist John Brown and his followers  who were determined to arm enslaved people to help free them.  George Washington's armory  was there and John Brown seized it and several other strategic points.  Ultimately the raid failed with most men killed or captured and Brown was executed.  Brown's trial and execution focused attention on the issue of slavery and propelled the nation toward Civil War.

All the buildings are original and absolutely fascinating to view.  They are constantly working on them to keep them standing;  like Europe, we saw lots of scaffolding and work being done on them.

Most of the buildings are museums and stores.  Some are B&B's, private residences, or empty.  This building (the Restoration Museum) was left empty to show the excavation and discovery process.

The old cobblestone streets are so fascinating!  My husband said it would be charming to be here at night to see the town lit up with the quaint lanterns.

Just look at this trio of homes! Oh! I just love it!  They just don't make homes like this anymore!

The town is located on the point of land where the Potomac River cuts through the Blue Ridge so you have to climb a lot of steep streets if you want to see all of this town!

We climbed upwards to see Jefferson's Rock and saw the ruins of an old Episcopal church on the way.

The original Episcopal Church was built in 1852 and served as a hospital and barracks during the Civil War.  It suffered considerable damage and was rebuilt afterwards but was abandoned in 1895 when a new Episcopal church was built in the upper town (pictured below).

This is the story of Jefferson Rock:  named after Thomas Jefferson of course.

I could see why Jefferson fell in love with this view!

And here is the rock as it looks today.  I must say, I don't care for the pillars, but I understand why they are there. 

Photo Credit

Now it was time to visit the church, which is open to the public but unfortunately was closed the day we were there 😢. I've never seen a church closed before and I have no idea what that was about.  I was so disappointed. 

The church stands high on a hill overlooking the town and the beautiful Potomac River.

We enjoyed the views walking down from Jefferson's Rock more than we did walking in town.

There are several museums in the Historic Site:  "A Place In Time" where you can view a film on the town's history, an Industry Museum, an African American History museum, the John Brown Museum (pictured below), Civil War Museum, Restoration Museum, Meriweather Lewis Exhibition,  and more.  Not all of them were open when we there as it was before the tourist season, but we saw enough.

Across the street from the John Brown Museum are some historic sites of the great battle and an armory building.

High up on a hill, near the old armory and battle sites is a monument dedicated to John Brown.

I loved the views from the opposite end of town, near the Potomac River;  the church can be seen so well.

Many of the buildings are open to the public, like the tavern below, and inside you can see views of how people lived and used the space during the time period.  Some are just informational and have museum displays inside.

And that is all I have to share about the town and history of Harper's Ferry.  There is much more to do at Harper's Ferry other than visit the town:  scenic trails, battlefields, and so many more historic sites.  Next week, I will share our experience on the Maryland Heights trail.

Until then,

Have A Great Day!  Amy

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