HARPER'S FERRY RE-DO Just recently, a pair of experienced world travelers on their
way to spend some time in Peru, Bolivia and other nation's down south, visited with us for a day or so. Our guests, Brian and Helga Thomson are the parents the husband of one of our granddaughters - Annette and Julian Thomson, of D.C.
The last time Vivian and I visited Harper's Ferry was in fall of 1978 – the last week in Augusta when the leaves were just taking on whole mountain sides of Fall colors. We have talked of going back and we were pleased that our guests seemed to have enjoyed their visit to the old Civil War town.
Restoration work had made good progress at the time we were there and one could get the true feeling of historical sites. The restoration reminds one a bit that which recreated Colonial Williamsburg but smaller and less elaborate. Like Williamsburg, Harper's Ferry has plenty of walking to be done, and Harper's Ferry challenges you to some real climbing, too.
You will want to climb the steps; to the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter. The interior of the church is especially interesting. It is ornate and of a soft, cream color inside and rugged outside appearance, with parapets, a mountain hulk across the way and the rushing river waters down below. You get a Rhine-landish from it.
You'll want to visit the ruins of the Old Episcopal church, too, the ruins not so much from Civil War mis-use as from floods which have hit the town - a bad one in 1936 and again in 1972. That one crested at 29.7 feet above normal. The '36 one was about twelve feet and you an see the water marks on the downtown buildings. We saw a film strip on the floods and I assume it is still being shown today.
The old Engine House where John Brown holed up for a shoot- out with troops is, of course, and featured spot. There is a diorama in the Visitor's Center and displays set up by the National Park Service which has done the restoration work.
We had lunch at The “Iron Horse” Restaurant – up the hill a bit overlooking the rivers and bridges into Maryland.
A day spent at Harper's Ferry enjoyable and historically informative. Thomas Jefferson walked the same spots you can. He had a special liking for that which is now called “Jefferson's Hill”. Even then, the town could be crowded with visitors then as it often is today.
Promise yourself to be one of them.
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-5-06 [c442wds]
