2025 US Van Tour: Harper's Ferry
June 10, 2025
Beth in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia
Nestled at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has long stood at the crossroads of American history. Originally inhabited by Iroquois peoples, the area was first settled by Europeans in the early 18th century. In 1747, Robert Harper, a Quaker millwright, acquired the land and established a ferry service, giving the town its name.
Its strategic location and abundant water power made Harpers Ferry a natural hub for industry and transportation. In 1799, under the direction of President George Washington, the U.S. government established a federal armory and arsenal there, which would later supply the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The arrival of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the 1830s further cemented its importance as a transportation and manufacturing center.
The bridge which utilized these old piers was washed away in a 1936 flood
But Harpers Ferry is perhaps best known for John Brown’s 1859 raid, a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the Civil War. Brown, an abolitionist, led a small group in an attempt to seize the federal arsenal and incite a slave uprising. Though the raid failed and Brown was captured and executed, the event electrified the nation and deepened the divide between North and South.
During the Civil War, Harpers Ferry changed hands eight times due to its strategic value. It was the site of the largest surrender of Union troops during the war and suffered significant destruction.
Harper's Ferry Train Station
After the war, the town became a center for African American education with the founding of Storer College, one of the first institutions of higher learning for formerly enslaved people. The college closed in 1955 due to funding problems.
Today, Harpers Ferry is preserved as a National Historical Park, where cobblestone streets and restored buildings invite visitors to walk through the layers of American history that converge in this remarkable town.
Mike at Harper's Ferry Train Station
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