Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States.[lower-alpha 1] In some cases the name Harper's Ferry has been spelled using an apostrophe.[lower-alpha 2] Harpers Ferry sits at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. This is where the U.S. states of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia meet. It is the easternmost town in West Virginia. The original, lower section of the town is located on a low-lying floodplain created by the two rivers. It is surrounded by higher ground on all sides. Historically, Harpers Ferry is best known for John Brown's raid on the Armory in 1859 and its role in the American Civil War.[5] During the war, between 1861 and 1865, the town changed hands between Union and Confederate forces 14 times.[6] The Battle of Harpers Ferry resulted in the largest surrender by Union Army soldiers in the Civil War.[6]
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Corporation of Harpers Ferry | |
 Panoramic view of Harpers Ferry from Maryland Heights, with the Shenandoah (left) and Potomac (right) rivers. | |
 Location of Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia. | |
  Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Location of Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia.  Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (West Virginia)  Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 39°19′27″N 77°44′2″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Jefferson |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Wayne Bishop |
| • Recorder | Kevin Carden |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.61 sq mi (1.58 km2) |
| • Land | 0.53 sq mi (1.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2) |
| Elevation | 489 ft (149 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 286 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 291 |
| • Density | 539.6/sq mi (208.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 25425 |
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-35284[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1560593[2] |
The population was 286 at the 2010 census.
Notes
- Prior to West Virginia becoming a state in 1863, Harpers Ferry was located in Virginia.[3]
- For example: Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-64. Volume: 1. (1866), p. 279; French Ensor Chadwick, Causes of the Civil War, 1859-1861 (1906) p. 74; Allan Nevins, The Emergence of Lincoln (1950) v, 2 ch 3; James M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (1988), p. 201; Stephen W. Sears, Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam (2003) p. 116. The popular usage is without the apostrophe.[4]
References
- "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- "West Virginia". History. A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- "Apostrophes don't always make the cut". The Virginian-Pilot. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- "Harpers Ferry Town Website". Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- "Ten Facts about Harpers Ferry". Civil War Trust. Retrieved 29 June 2016.