On The Eve Of Our Revolution...
John Brown (1800-1859) is the main reason Harper's Ferry became a major part of U S American history. He was a radical abolitionist who violently went about doing more harm to his cause than good. One of his last acts, in a life long effort to abolish slavery, was to raid the United States arsenal at Harper's Ferry. He and 18 followers captured the arsenal on October 16, 1859, but they failed to escape. He was taken prisoner and tried and hanged on December 2, 1859.During the Civil War between the North and the South, Harpers Ferry changed hands something like eight times!! Can you imagine how scary, confusing and frustrating that would be for the town's people? Surprisingly, this small town has a full and rich history from George Washington's visit when he was only seventeen to the advance of the Civil Rights Movement. This town offers us living history and it is beautiful as well.
