Today we wanted to stop at Harper’s Ferry, Antietam and go on to Gettysburg where we would stay over night. As it turned out Gettysburg was so crowded that we decided to continue on to Joy’s moms after a quick visit to Gettysburg.

This gallery will only address Harpers Ferry NHP. Harpers Ferry was considered part of an invasion of the North. The date of this battle is September 1862. The South considered the occupation of Harpers Ferry would protect the Shenandoah Valley and its supply lines while they campaigned north of the Potomac. Harpers Ferry had been destroyed by the south the previous year. But it remained a strategic crossroad for two railroads. The south occupied all the high ground around Harpers Ferry. On September 15, 1862 Harpers Ferry surrendered. The south captured almost 13,000 Union troops, 13,000 arms and 47 pieces of artillery. This was largest single capture of Federal forces during the entire war.

Since the town sits on a very small piece of ground, access is by shuttle from the Visitor Center. It is our understanding that today, all Interpretive Media for the NPS is made at Harpers Ferry. The Appalachian Trail crosses the Shenandoah River on the Route 340 bridge, follows Shenandoah Street to the point of land between the the rivers and then crosses the Potomac River on the footbridge.

In March 1803, Meriwether Lewis oversaw the building of collapsible steel framed, skin-clad boat and acquired supplies for his westward trip with William Clark.