Harpers Ferry: 'Such a stark contrast from the suburbs'
It changed hands eight times during the Civil War and now touches parts of three states, so perhaps it's no surprise that Harpers Ferry National Historical Park offers a great deal of variety.
History buffs can explore Civil War skirmish lines or attend a living-history workshop within the park's roughly 4,000 acres in West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia. Hikers can take advantage of the more than 20 miles of trails that range from casual riverside strolls to 8-mile mountain adventures. Those who enjoy baking can take classes to learn how breads, pies and Christmas treats were made back in the 1800s.
And then there is the scenic beauty of the park, which straddles the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
"I've been there twice in the last three years, and I absolutely loved it," said Rahkia Nance, 32, who lives in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Alexandria, Va. "The physical beauty is such a stark contrast from the suburbs."
Added Dan Moore, 37, a De Pere, Wis., photographer who has visited more than 100 National Parks Service sites: "It's one of those parks that combines natural areas with historical areas with an array of things to do."
Harpers Ferry has played various roles in American history.
Native Americans, early settlers, railroad and canal workers used the gap in the Blue Ridge for travel and transport.
The United States Armory and Arsenal, established in 1799, turned the area into an industrial center that produced more than 600,000 muskets, rifles and pistols, and sometimes employed more than 400 people.
The 1859 raid on the arsenal by abolitionist John Brown — and Brown's capture, trial and execution — focused attention on the issue of slavery.
Harpers Ferry played a key role in the Civil War because of its location and railroads. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson captured a 12,500-man Union garrison there during the 1862 Confederate invasion of the North.
In 1867, Baptist missionaries founded Storer College, one of the earliest integrated schools in the USA. Storer was designed mainly to educate former slaves, but was open to students of any race and gender.
As of April 26, an area around the park's Maryland Heights Cliff Face was closed to visitors as Peregrine Falcons attempted to nest there. Visitors can check the park's website for updates.
Schneider also reports for The Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette.
About the park
Size: Almost 4,000 acres
Visitors: 261,202 in 2014
Established: 1944 (as national monument), 1963 (as national historical park).
History: Harpers Ferry witnessed the first successful application of interchangeable manufacture, the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Union troops in the Civil War, and one of the earliest integrated schools in the USA.
When visiting: The park is accessible via U.S. Highway 340. For visitor information, call 304-535-6029.
Of note: The National League of Colored Women visited John Brown Fort in July 1896, the first known pilgrimage to the site.
Click through the gallery below for more scenic drives throughout the South: