My back was better so we headed to Harpers Ferry to see that national park. I had read a sentance or 2 about it in school, knowing that some guy named John Brown tried to get slaves
and supporters to join him and start an insurrection to stop slavery. He didn't succeed, was caught and hanged by the government. Robert E Lee was head of the US Marines who seized Brown and his supports. Yeah, same Robert E Lee who became general of the Confederate Army. George Custer was part of this Marine Corp also. This skirmish was the start of the Civil War because people started to really question the slavery issue. Was very impressed with: what the town of Harpers Ferry looks like - still most of the old buildings from the 1780's still there - this picture shows John Brown's fort (fire enginehouse) where he held out with his supporters and was captured by the Marines and some of the old buildings; the floods that have taken a toll on the town; Meriweather Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition came through in 1803 to get outfitted with rifles, etc. for the trip out west; George Washington owned much property around this area - purchasing it when he was 16 - the man was rich!; the first school - Storer - was founded for the education of blacks, and continued for almost 100 years. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad converges here and is the main leg to move supplies from one side of the Shenandoah Valley to the Ohio Valley; Harpers Ferry was the first national armory in the country. Also, there were over 80 battles of the Civil War fought in this 50 mile radius of this town.
and supporters to join him and start an insurrection to stop slavery. He didn't succeed, was caught and hanged by the government. Robert E Lee was head of the US Marines who seized Brown and his supports. Yeah, same Robert E Lee who became general of the Confederate Army. George Custer was part of this Marine Corp also. This skirmish was the start of the Civil War because people started to really question the slavery issue. Was very impressed with: what the town of Harpers Ferry looks like - still most of the old buildings from the 1780's still there - this picture shows John Brown's fort (fire enginehouse) where he held out with his supporters and was captured by the Marines and some of the old buildings; the floods that have taken a toll on the town; Meriweather Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition came through in 1803 to get outfitted with rifles, etc. for the trip out west; George Washington owned much property around this area - purchasing it when he was 16 - the man was rich!; the first school - Storer - was founded for the education of blacks, and continued for almost 100 years. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad converges here and is the main leg to move supplies from one side of the Shenandoah Valley to the Ohio Valley; Harpers Ferry was the first national armory in the country. Also, there were over 80 battles of the Civil War fought in this 50 mile radius of this town. 
The Appalachian Trail goes right through here and we were standing almost at the middle point of the trail which extends between Maine and Georgia. With my back not 100% I couldn't hike to the visitor's center for the Trail, only hiked about 1/2 mile of it and said I have been there, done that (sort of). Saw a number of hikers going north and south on this trail. We saw people tubing down the Potomac River, and the tubers eventually crossed to where the Shenadoah River joins the Potomac under the railroad tressle. Pretty cool.
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