Located where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers converge, Harpers Ferry provides many spectacular views and unlimited opportunities to enjoy the area's natural landscape. This natural environment surrounding Harpers Ferry encourages residents and visitors alike to enjoy a variety of activities including rafting, kayaking, canoeing, biking and fishing. Several parks and preserves are within the vicinity including Harpers Ferry National Park, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Berkeley Springs State Park and Yankauer Nature Preserve. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, also passes through this town, offering a breathtaking view the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
Although it may be best known as the location of John Brown's raid on a federal armory at the beginning of the Civil War, Harpers Ferry's history stretches back to when George Washington surveyed land in the area in 1750. Many mills and factories used the rivers to power their businesses and the improvements in transportation - particularly the railroad and canal - only aided economic growth in the area. Besides the U.S. Armory and Arsenal, which employed hundreds of workers and produced more than 600,000 firearms in the 60 years leading up to the Civil War, numerous sawmills, machine shops, blacksmiths and other foundries set up their businesses in Harpers Ferry.
