Harper's Ferry & the Eastern Panhandle Travel Guide

The Eastern Panhandle of West Virgina is a narrow swath of land that stretches east from the heart of the state to within an hour's drive of the nation's capital city.  It is recently booming, the result of an influx of disgruntled urbanites from the Washington and Baltimore areas who wish to escape the gridlock and stress of city life without being isolated from the conveniences they enjoy. 

Harper's Ferry is located in the extreme eastern corner of West Virginia, on the borders with Virginia and Maryland.  The scenic confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers created a strategic location and staging point for settlements way back in colonial days.  Lewis & Clark actually started their cross-continental trek from here.  Harper's Ferry came to national fame in the 1850s, when the federal armory was raided by the abolitionist hero John Brown.  His actions and the resulting conflict are widely recognized as the fuel which fed the Civil War.  Today the town is a National Historical Park, completely preserved and pedestrian friendly.  There are many preserved historical sights other than the armory, such as the train depot and Storer College, an influential insitution traditionally attended by African Americans. 

You can also walk across a pedestrian bridge over to the State of Maryland and hike up the hill to get a cardiovascular workout with a great view of the town as your reward.  Park your car at the Visitor's Center on US Highway 340 and ride the shuttle bus down to the park.  There is no public parking in the town.

Other sights in the Eastern Panhandle include Martinsburg, a beautiful small town located on I-81, Berkeley Springs with its mineral baths that were frequented by George Washington, the extensive apple orchards of Hampshire County, and Smoke Hole Caverns in Hardy County.