West Virginia for a moment

We spent the night in WV after seeing Antietam (that will be in another blog). Harper's Ferry was the big event - and its way more than you would think. Its a whole preserved town with lots of history over a long period.

1. First, it had the biggest armory in the US, producing much of munnitions for our nation in state-of-the-art factories, located at the joining of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers
2. Next was John Brown's raid to capture the armory in his attempt to emancipate slaves
3. Then there was the North/South struggle over the armory and its stores during the civil war. It was the largest surrender of Union troops. The Southern troops that captured Harper's Ferry were some of the last to come and help up in Antietam.
4. Also, there was the creation of Storer College, one of the first to educate free black men and woman.
5. And it was a stopping and gearing up place for Merriweather Lewis at the beginning of his great journey.
6. Later, on the industrial rise in textiles, HF turned the armory factories into mills and became a place of stature again.
7. Lastly, a huge flood in the 20s devastated the town and the factories, pretty much leveling it all. The water rose 30 feet. And before they could really rebuild another large flood in the early 30s wiped it clear again.
8. The town was turned over to the NHP system and restored starting in the mid 1940s

Highlights by Mom:

1. Harpers Ferry is way cool, flush with history
2. Gun-toting Wal-mart customers - an open-carry state, but still a shock to see a .45 on some guys hip!