Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
 P.O. Box 65
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
By Phone: Visitor Information 304-535-6029
Administrative Information: 304-535-6224
By Fax: 304-535-6244
Harpers
Ferry National Historical Park is located at the confluence of the
Potomac and Shenandoah rivers in and around Harpers Ferry, West
Virginia.
The park includes land in the adjacent states of Maryland and
Virginia. The park includes the historic town of Harpers Ferry, notable
as a center of 19th century industry and as the scene of John Brown's
abolitionist uprising.
What do you know about the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park?
Explore this Quick US National Parks Quiz.
1. Originally designated a National Monument, the park was declared a
National Historical Park by the U.S. Congress in 1963. When did it
become a National Monument?
- June 30, 1944
- June 30, 1945
- June 30, 1946
2. Who were the last native peoples known to inhabit the area in
large numbers, essentially vanishing due to disease and conflict with
European settlers in the early 18th century.
- Tuscarora Indians
- Contessa Indians
- Earlywinnon Indians
3. One of these European immigrants, Robert Harper, obtained a patent
for the land from the Virginia legislature. What year did he get the
patent?
4. The town was originally known as Shenandoah Falls at Mr. Harper's
Ferry (1763) due to the ferry business Robert Harper managed and
operated.
5. Who began the construction of the federal Harpers Ferry Armory?
- Thomas Jefferson
- John Adams
- George Washington
6. Employing at times up to 400 workers, the armory produced over
half a million muskets and rifles between 1801 and 1860.
7. Abolitionist John Brown led an armed group in the capture of the
armory in 1859. Brown had hoped he would be able to arm the slaves and
lead them against U.S. forces in a rebellion to overthrow slavery. After
his capture in the armory by a group of US Marines, Brown was hanged,
predicting in his last words that civil war was looming on the horizon,
a prediction that came true less than two years later. The most
important building remaining from John Brown's raid is the firehouse,
now called John Brown's Fort where he resisted the Marines. Who lead the
marines?
- Lt. J.E.B. Stuart
- Lt. Roger Smith
- Colonel Robert E. Lee
8. The American Civil War (1861�1865) found Harpers Ferry right on
the boundary between the Union and Confederate forces. The strategic
position along this border and the valuable manufacturing base was a
coveted strategic goal for both sides, but particularly the South due to
its lack of manufacturing centers. The town exchanged hands no less than
eight times during the course of the war.
9. Storer College was built in Harpers Ferry as one of the first
integrated schools in the U.S. Frederick Douglass served as a trustee of
the college, and delivered a memorable oration on the subject of John
Brown there in 1881. When did it close?
10. North of the park and across the Potomac from Harpers Ferry is a
waterway, which operated from 1828 to 1924. What is the waterway?
- Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
- West Virginia and Pennsylvania Waterway
- Potomac and Virginia Canal
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