Harpers Ferry sits at a point in the Potomac River where the Shenandoah River splits to the South. The strategic location made Harpers Ferry and ideal military outpost. The town is most famous as the site of John Brown's Raid in 1859. Brown was an abolitionist who decided to take the matter of ending slavery into his own hands and lead attacks on several buildings in the Harpers Ferry area to obtain weapons that could be used in future uprisings. Local militias stopped the raid. Brown was captured and hanged.
Harpers Ferry has a restored historical area along the banks of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. At 5:30 on Valentine's Night it was pretty quiet. The residential area has a couple historical homes and churches, however, a proper "town" with restaurants is back down 340 in Charles Town.
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