Harper's Ferry

We are stuck inside becuase of the 2016 blizzard so I thought that it would be a perfect time to catch up on the blog. :) 

On Monday it was Martin Luther King Day so we Jeff and I had work off. We read that all of the parks were free so we decided to head to Harpers Ferry for the day. It is a historic town in West Virginia It is at the confluence the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers and is where Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia meet. Lucky for us, it is less than an hour away. It was a perfect day trip! However, it was colder then we had expected and walked around in 18 degree weather. It was definitely worth the trip though. 

The best view was from Jefferson Rock. On October 25, 1783 Thomas Jefferson stood here and said that, "this scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic."


We visited St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church and learned that it was the only church in Harpers Ferry that escaped destruction after the Civil War. 

We didn't realize how much there would be to do. Almost every building was a museum that you could walk in and learn about the history of the town and the Civil War. 

                        

I did not realize that this is where John Brown's raid took place. He led an armed band of abolitionists to the arsenal to fight for freedom of the slaves. However, he was captured and charged with treason and murder. However, he captured the attention of many and this continued through the Civil War.

Information on John Brown's Raid

 

 We had a wonderful time and Harper's Ferry! It was a perfect way to spend Martin Luther King Day as we learned more about the Civil War and reflected on the freedom that we have.