When we lived in Europe, I would summarize our trips and provide select photos here. I plan to start doing that in earnest for our American trips, too. I'll start with today's excursion: a day trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Harpers Ferry is a small town at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. It played a key role in several national events in the 1800s:
- the Lewis & Clark expedition (the town's armory helped supply it)
- advances in firearm manufacture (due to John H. Hall)
- the abolitionist movement (with John Brown's raid)
- the Civil War (the town changed hands eight times in that conflict due to its strategic location, leading to much destruction)
Today, a few streets of the town are preserved as they were 200 years ago and part of the national park system; the remainder of the town has been updated (in a sense; much of the architecture remains) and is a 'normal' small community, with restaurants, shops, and residences. Historical signs guide you through the town. Some buildings house museums or rooms made up as they were back then. The views from the confluence are nice, looking to the hills of Maryland and Virginia. Ruins abound, from old churches to the armory to the canal.
I was surprised just how small the historic section was. Even a leisurely pace, you can see everything in one hour (two, tops). And the parking situation threw me- you can drive through (but not park in) the area, but must drive to the National Park Service parking area (2 miles away), pay $20 per car, and take a tour bus (masks required) back into the town. There are a few eating options in town (but not a lot). The bookstore is nice.
Overall, we enjoyed the day, though we expected it to be bigger. I recommend seeing this in cooler weather and walk across the bridget and up to the overlook on the Maryland side.
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