Harpers Ferry

Today we headed north west of Washington, planning to reach Harpers Ferry.

The C & O Canal

In the days before rail, freight was moved by barges, and these usually ran in a canal where the rivers were unsuitable for navigation, or perhaps were in the wrong place. Most of these canals have been abandoned and left to decay. But sometimes sections are preserved for their historical value. One such is the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which ran from Cumberland in Maryland to Washington DC, from 1831 until 1924.

Canal in foreground with a river below in the background.

The C & O canal, foreground, and the Potomac River, which it parallels, in the background, and at lower level.

View along canal, with trees on right to water's edge, and the tow path along the left side.

This section of the canal is in good repair, as it still contains water! The path on the left is the towpath, which in the early days was used by mules or horses to tow the barge along. The coming of the industrial age allowed motorised barges, so the towpath was no longer used for that purpose.

Large, three storey white building at a canal loch; trees behind, empty canal in front

The C & O Canal lock-keepers house at Great Falls Tavern. Sometimes the loch sequence is handled by barge crews, but a busy commercial canal would likely have men on duty whenever required.

Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry sits at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. The junction of the rivers is also the meeting places of the boundaries of three states - Maryland to the north east, following the banks of the Potomac, West Virginia to the west, and Virginia to the south east. One catalyst for the US Civil War was a raid by John Brown on the armory, hoping the captured weapons would be used to start a slave rebellion. His raid failed, he was convicted of treason and hanged.

River with stone bridge pillars, but no bridge, with distant bridge downstream

The pillars are from the bridge destroyed by a flood in 1924. New road bridges were built up and down stream to replace them, but resulted in bypassing the town.

White, two storey building, with another beside it, and stote church, with spire on hill behind

The lower building is the Visitor Center, with St. Peters Catholic Church behind it up the hill.

Stone and wood two storey house, with picket fence around a small yard

This is Harper's House, after whom the town was named. He started a ferry service across the Potomac River in 1761, making the town a starting point for settlers heading west into the Shenandoah Valley.

Inside church, with vaulted ceiling, pews and altar at far end

St. Peter's Catholic Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the only church to have escaped destruction during the Civil War.

From side of hill, with church steeple and view of river and distant bridge

The view from Jefferson Rock over Harper's Ferry down the Potomac River and one of the new road bridges which bypassed the town. The Potomac flows in from the left, the Shenandoah from the right. The rock is named after Thomas Jefferson who visited on October 25, 1783. He viewed "the passage of the Potomac through thei Blue Ridge" from a rock which is now named for him. This stop took place as Jefferson was traveling to Philadelphia and passed through Harpers Ferry with his daughter Patsy. Jefferson called the site "perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature."

Street scene, with houses on both sides,a couple of cars and a few people on narrow footpath

This is High Street, Harpers Ferry - not too surprising as it goes up the hill!

Dual rail tracks curve, cross bridge and enter tunnel, with a platform on both tracks

The Harpers Ferry train station. The left track is a Maryland commuter rail track, with the right track used for freight and Amtrak passenger service.

Small building with 3 wide doors and lookout post on the roof

This is where John Brown and his group took cover when the army came in to take back the town. He was captured from here.

Mt. Vernon and George Washington's Estate

Canada and USA

Thomas Jefferson's Estate in Virginia right arrow