Harpers Ferry Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Harpers Ferry Historic District
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 Location in West Virginia
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| Location | Harpers Ferry, West Virginia |
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| Built | 1800 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002584 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1979 |
The Harpers Ferry Historic District is a special area in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It has about one hundred old buildings. This historic district includes parts of the town that are not in the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Many of these buildings are old houses from the early 1800s. The United States Government built them for workers at the Harpers Ferry Armory.
Important places in the district include the Armory site, the U.S Armory Potomac Canal, and the Harpers Ferry Train Station. Streets like Shenandoah Street, Potomac Street, and High or Washington Street are also part of it. The National Historic Park covers the lower parts of town, which can flood. The Historic District is in the higher parts of town.
A Town Through Time
In the late 1800s, many houses were built on the high ground. These homes were in styles like Victorian and Federalist. Famous people stayed in these houses, including Mark Twain, Alexander Graham Bell, and Woodrow Wilson.
"Stonewall" Jackson, a famous general, used the town as his base during part of the American Civil War. Thomas Jefferson, an early U.S. president, once said that the view of the Potomac River cutting through the Blue Ridge Mountains was "one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature."
Harpers Ferry's Important Role
This historic district helps us see what a 19th-century town looked like. Harpers Ferry was very important during the American Civil War. It also became a major center for transportation. Thousands of visitors come to the town every year.
To help manage traffic, visitors are asked to park at a nearby Visitors Center. From there, they can take a special bus into the town. This bus ride also gives visitors a good look at the old transportation routes that made Harpers Ferry so important.
A commuter train line still stops at Harpers Ferry's historic train station. This train connects the town with Washington D.C., making many stops along the way.
After the Civil War
Harpers Ferry was badly damaged during the Civil War. The Armory, which was the town's main employer, was destroyed. The only building from the Armory that still exists is the fire engine house. It is now called John Brown's Fort. This building is not in its original spot. It even traveled to Chicago and back!
The town also faced many floods in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Even with these challenges, much of the original town has been kept safe. Two other historic places are right next to the Harpers Ferry Historic District. These are the B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing and St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church.
