The United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry was commissioned by George Washington; construction started in 1799 and was completed three years later, when mass production of military arms commenced. It was raided by abolitionist John Brown in 1859 and became a vital control point for both the Confederacy and the Union at the start of the Civil War. It was burnt by retreating Union forces to prevent the Confederates from seizing it, although the factory was saved by residents whose livelihood depended on it. Shortly thereafter Confederate soldiers confiscated the armory’s ordnance stock, machinery and tools, shipped it all south and set fire to many of the remaining armory buildings. It was still used by the Union to quickly supply troops with weapons, but due to the damage sustained during the war, the armory was not re-established at Harpers Ferry by the US government. Only the armory’s engine and guardhouse – now known as John Brown’s Fort – remained intact. Today the armory grounds are almost completely covered by railroad track embankments. The train station is in the background.

Best to view in "Original" because other versions resized by Pbase are decidedly unsharp.

A real West Virginia train, posted earlier: