Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Tourists walk Potomac Street in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Harpers Ferry, WV (West Virginia), in Jefferson County, was settled in 1734 by Robert Harper, for whom the town was named. Harper operated ferries across the Potomac River and Shenandoah River near the point of land on which the town was built. Many inns and hotels have been located in and near the community, much of which is now part of a national park. Thousands of tourists visit the town each year.

Lodging near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Harpers Ferry (WV) Hotels

History

At a gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Harpers Ferry was a strategic point of military and economic importance — a gateway westward and the site of a federal arsenal. In 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the arsenal, setting in motion events that led to the U.S. Civil War. During the war, Federal and Confederate forces battled for control of the town.

The town was first established in 1763 by the Virginia General Assembly as “Shenandoah Falls at Mr. Harper’s Ferry,” but was reincorporated in 1851 as “Harper’s Ferry.” The town of Virginius, located on Virginius Island in the Shenandoah River, was absorbed by Harpers Ferry during the 1851 reincorporation.

The federal government declared martial law in the town during the Civil War. After the war, in 1867, the West Virginia Legislature repealed the 1851 act. Finally, Harpers Ferry (with no apostrophe) was reincorporated by Jefferson County in 1872.

Parks & Public Recreation

Much of the town in the Harpers Ferry National Historic District is managed by the National Park Service as the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, one of the chief tourist attractions in West Virginia. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail travels through the town, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park skirts its northern flank. Whitewater rafting is a popular pastime on the Potomac and Shenendoah rivers in spring and summer.

Photos of Harpers Ferry & Vicinity

Climbers above Harpers Ferry Tunnel

Potomac River at Shenandoah

Potomac below Hilltop House

Hikers take in the view of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia from Maryland Heights. Photo by Rick Burgess

Climbing wall at River Riders

Paddlers on the Shenandoah, immortalized in “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” to be adopted as an official West Virginia state song. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess

Paddlers on lower Potomac River

Potomac from Maryland Heights

Location

Harpers Ferry is located along expressway US-340 approximately eight miles east of Charles Town, West Virginia, 21 miles southwest of Frederick, Maryland, 24 miles north of Leesburg, Virginia, and 25 miles east of the I-81 expressway at Martinsburg, West Virginia. Harpers Ferry is a drive of approximately two hours from Washington, D.C.

Map of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

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Regional Information

Harpers Ferry is located in the Eastern Panhandle Region in eastern West Virginia.