Located here is Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park, one of 400 parks in the National Park System. The Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet at The Point, where John Brown’s Fort was in the late 1850’s. The Appalachian Trail intersects with the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal towpath which I have always wanted to bicycle ride combined with the GAP. Harper’s Ferry is a historic town with plenty of walking trails and self-guided battlefield driving tours. It is easy to find plenty to do for a couple of days. There is also the Potomac Heritage Trail.
I wished I could zip-line, white-water raft, or take longer hikes, but decided not to push my still concussed head. While my brain is better, I am not 100%. My original plan was to bicycle ride the C&O towpath. After I walked the footbridge across the Potomac River, saw the metal spiral staircase to carry my bicycle down and eventually back up, I knew that was not going to happen even if I had no concussion! Maybe I’ll drive across the river and ride from there.
The National Park Service provides a shuttle bus from their visitor center to Harper’s Ferry historic district; wonderful, no parking hassles! There are numerous exhibits within old buildings, films and places to walk around and across the Potomac River. I also hiked the short distance to Jefferson’s Rock with its great view. Yet one cannot climb on the rock so you really don’t see the view as easily as Thomas Jefferson did in 1783!
History is not my forté, but the condensed version of history is George Washington chose Harper’s Ferry as a site for an armory. Robert Harper, in 1747, started a ferry system across the Potomac. Factories sprang up in the early 1800’s, especially with the rivers powering the mills. The idea of manufacturing interchangeable parts was perfected. In October 1859, John Brown and others seized the armory and other strategic places. John Brown hoped to arm enslaved people and spark a rebellion. The raid on the armory made Harper’s Ferry a symbol of freedom. John Brown’s trial and execution brought the issue of slavery to everyone’s attention and eventually leads the nation toward civil war. History buffs will no doubt enjoy visiting this area and all that it has to offer with the area battlefields.
Raindrops kept falling on my head … so I drove to the 5 battlefields and hiked trails at two of them. At the Murphy-Chambers Farm there were half – marathon runners also stepping through the rain-soaked, muddy ground. I’m not sure any of us were really enjoying the weather. But by the same token, I was thinking of the soldiers who were here, once in history and in all kinds of weather, trying to survive and win for their side. My other hike was at Schoolhouse Ridge South where the Allstadt ruin is located. Signs at all battlefields show where soldiers organized themselves and the cannons. The National Park Service really keeps these grounds looking good!
With the gray sky, rain and overall dampness, I could not help but notice how well mushrooms and lichen were growing. Of course, everything that is green is even greener with all the rain falling on the east coast these past couple of weeks.
I returned to the campground to attend the final wine and cheese tasting of the day. Wines were from Kirkwood Winery in Summerville, West Virginia about 4 hours from Harper’s Ferry. Two cheeses were provided per wine as we tasted 3 wines: Niagara white, pear and merlot. I have had no wine on this trip so far and am missing my favorites!
Moving on! I am looking forward to the next weeks visiting friends and family, but I also did chuckle seeing these signs in Harper’s Ferry … one could say we have come a long way to better health care!
