The town of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is situated at the point where three states meet, namely, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Nestled in a fork at the head of a ravine where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers meet, and cradled by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Harper’s Ferry is a place of breathtaking natural beauty. In fact, when Thomas Jefferson visited the area in 1783, he said, “The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge Mountains is one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature.” The richness of its history and culture, the beauty of its surroundings, the myriad of opportunities for outdoor recreation, and a certain joie de vivre combine to make Harpers Ferry, WV real estate highly desirable to native West Virginians and newcomers alike.
About Harper’s Ferry
Owners of Harpers Ferry, WV real estate have a unique opportunity to live in the very essence of American History. The entire town is located within the boundaries of the Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park (which covers a total of 2,500 acres around the ravine), and several beautifully preserved 19th century buildings in the Lower Town Historical District have been converted into historical museums.
Harpers Ferry has a long history, which began with Native American tribes, including the Tuscarora, the last tribe to lay claim to the land. Abundant natural resources from the two rivers as well as the forested mountain land made Harpers Ferry an ideal residence and hunting ground. Robert Harper, a ferry owner and operator, was granted a patent for the land in 1751, and the town that grew up at the ferry crossing was originally named “Shenandoah Falls at Mr. Harper’s Ferry.” Understandably, the name was quickly shortened to Harper’s Ferry. However, Mr. Harper’s home, the oldest piece of Harpers Ferry, WV real estate in the Historical Park, remains standing and is open to visitors even today.
The town of Harpers Ferry is perhaps best known for the events that took place here during the Civil War. In 1859, Abolitionist John Brown led a group of his followers in an attack on the town’s armory. Ultimately, he was captured by a group of Marines and hanged, but before he died he offered up an eerie premonition of civil war to come. In the years that followed, Harpers Ferry found itself caught on the border between two warring factions, and control of the town changed hands from Union to Confederate at least eight times over the duration of the war.
Points of Interest
Storer College opened in 1881 in memory of John Brown, and was one of the first integrated schools in the nation. In fact, Storer became a conference center for African Americans who were protesting Jim Crow laws and other injustices. Ironically, upon the legal ending of school segregation in 1954, Storer College closed its doors. Now, part of the college is occupied by the National Park Service for use as a training facility.
Owners of Harpers Ferry, WV real estate can appreciate the town’s unique history and antique feel in a variety of ways. For example, you might spend an afternoon touring the museums and browsing the shops in the historic lower town. Take a Harpers Ferry Ghost Tour on a moonlit evening, or spend a day hiking on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal’s Towpath, an elevated trail which stretches a total of 184.5 miles and provides spectacular views of the canal and the Potomac. Take a whitewater raft tour through the upper portion of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, or float down the tamer part of the river in a rental canoe or kayak. In fact, there’s so much to do around your new Harpers Ferry, WV real estate that it may take you a lifetime to discover it all.
Are you ready to start living the Blue Ridge dream? Then come home to Harpers Ferry, WV real estate! For more information about Harpers Ferry, WV real estate, contact expert Realtor Gar Edmondson of The Team Titans at 304.725.6360 today. |
