10 Things You Didnt Know About Harpers Ferry In West Virginia

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, is known for the National Historical Park that documents the history of this small town in the state’s eastern panhandle, focusing mainly on the raid of abolitionist John Brown and the Civil War battle in town. And while those are vital parts of the town’s history, here are 10 facts you might not know that will give you a deeper and broader understanding of the area.

You can relive John Brown’s raid

In 1859, John Brown and a group of his followers attempted to raid a federal armory in Harpers Ferry to steal weapons and arm enslaved African Americans in the South, hoping for a revolt that would end slavery in the United States. While the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park interprets the physical spaces that were involved in John Brown’s raid, you can relive the experience in bloody detail at the John Brown Wax Museum. Life-size men of wax tell the story, from Brown’s planning to capture. Your best time to visit is during the summer when the museum is open daily.

W.E.B. Du Bois held his first U.S. meeting of the Niagara Movement in town

The Appalachian Trail passes through the middle of town

The Appalachian Trail stretches along the Appalachian Mountains from Maine to Georgia and passes right through the center of Harpers Ferry. While not the exact midpoint of the trail, many who hike the whole trail at once (called thru-hikers) see the town as a psychological midpoint, and one that has lots of good places to rest and eat.

The town is named after Mr. Harper’s Ferry

A man named Peter Stephens first settled the town in 1732, which was then just thought of as the point where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers meet. In 1747, Robert Harper bought the rights to settle from Stephens and later established a ferry that crossed the Potomac River in 1761. By 1763, the Virginia General Assembly (West Virginia wasn’t a state yet) gave the town the name of “Shenandoah Falls at Mr. Harper’s Ferry,” which became Harpers Ferry.

The Shenandoah River flows north to meet the Potomac River

While the Potomac River flows south from Harpers Ferry to Washington, D.C. and empties into the Chesapeake Bay, the Shenandoah River flows north in Virginia through the Shenandoah Valley to Harpers Ferry. At “The Point,” the two rivers meet and flow southeast.

It had an early Confederate Monument controversy

In 1931, United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) erected a monument in memory of a Black man who died during John Brown’s raid, which many people felt was making a false memory and martyr of the man. The statue moved in the 1970s. However, by 1995, people were demanding for it to be put back, and the National Park Service complied. Then, they faced further controversy for placing the statue in its original spot, and have been dealing with how to properly display and interpret the statue since.

Harpers Ferry is haunted

Ok, well, with all the death and destruction that Harpers Ferry has seen, you probably could have guessed that the town is haunted—if you believe in that sort of thing. The Historic Harpers Ferry Foundation and private companies are happy to take you on a spooky walk around town to learn where the ghosts are most active.

The population is less than 300 people

With such a large history and such a great wilderness getaway for residents of the D.C. metro area, it’s surprising that the population of Harpers Ferry is less than 300 people. More than half a million people visit just the National Historical Park each year, with more traveling to enjoy hiking, biking, and watersports nearby.

Thomas Jefferson loved Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry is a beautiful, quaint town, and we’re not the only ones who think so. In 1783, Thomas Jefferson was passing through the town and later wrote, “The passage of the Patowmac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature.” Now, a rock with one of the most scenic views of the Potomac River bears his name.

You can bike from D.C. to Harpers Ferry

The Harpers Ferry National Historical Park butts right up against the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Built to haul goods up and down along the Potomac River, the hiking-biking trail now stretches from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. The path is great for a day ride while visiting Harpers Ferry, or ride all the way from D.C. for a multi-day adventure.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.