Harpers Ferry - John Brown's Fort
1859Abolitionist John Brown raided the federal armory here in 1859, accelerating the path to Civil War.
18.2 mi away
Everything Berryville is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Berryville.
Abolitionist John Brown raided the federal armory here in 1859, accelerating the path to Civil War.
59 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Imagine building a home not just for yourself, but for generations to come. That's the story of Clermont, right here in Clarke County. It all started with John Vance, who received a land grant from Lord Fairfax in 1751.…
Imagine building a home as a testament to new love. That's exactly what Matthew Page did here at Annefield. He started construction around 1790. Matthew named this plantation after his wife, Ann Randolph Meade, though…
Imagine being baptized in a church that's seen centuries of history unfold. That's Old Chapel. Built around 1790, Old Chapel served the Cunningham Parish of the Episcopal Church. It's the oldest Episcopal church…
Imagine George Washington himself helping to lay out this very property! Fairfield Farms, built in 1768, was designed by architect John Ariss for Warner Washington, George's cousin. Ariss, a notable architect of the…
Stand on this land and you're walking in the footsteps of a Revolutionary War hero. Nathaniel Burwell, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army, built his grand estate, Carter Hall, here in the late 1700s. Burwell,…
Ever heard of the Battle of Cowpens? It was a huge victory in the Revolutionary War, and it happened thanks to General Daniel Morgan, who built his home right here. After serving with distinction in the Revolution,…
Right here, along the Shenandoah River, a desperate battle raged that cost hundreds of lives. In July of 1864, Union forces under General Horatio Wright attempted to cross the river and attack Confederate troops led by…
Imagine a time when this mill was the beating heart of the community. Built around 1785 by Revolutionary War heroes General Daniel Morgan and Nathaniel Burwell, the Burwell-Morgan Mill wasn't just grinding grain; it was…
Ever wonder what it was like to be related to George Washington? Right here, you're approaching Blakeley, a home built by his great-nephew, John Augustine Washington II, in 1820. Imagine the family gatherings, with…
Imagine the weight of a nation divided, the echoes of battle still ringing in the air. This is Winchester National Cemetery, the final resting place for over 4,400 Union soldiers. Many of the men buried here fought and…
Step back in time in this rural village boasting 53 contributing historic resources. The Paris Historic District in Fauquier County encompasses a significant portion of the village of Paris, Virginia. It's a collection…
Before she was a country music legend, Patsy Cline lived in this modest house in Winchester. From 1948 to 1953, Virginia Patterson Hensley, the future Patsy Cline, called 608 S. Kent Street home. It was a working-class…
You're driving near what was once a key piece of Winchester's defenses: Fort Collier. Built by Confederates, it also has the unusual distinction of being constructed, in part, by Federal prisoners. In 1864, Lieutenant…
Hold on, you're passing through land that was once at the heart of a sprawling colonial empire.This is Greenway Court, the former estate of Thomas Fairfax, the Sixth Lord Fairfax of Cameron. He was a Scottish nobleman…
George Washington himself oversaw the construction of Fort Loudoun during the French and Indian War. This wasn't some minor outpost; it was a key strategic point. Between 1756 and 1758, then-Colonel Washington and his…
Ever wonder what a town that's witnessed centuries of American history looks like? You're driving through it right now! This is Winchester, Virginia. This district boasts buildings spanning from the 1700s to the…
Ever wonder where a legendary general plotted his strategy? This unassuming house in Winchester served as Stonewall Jackson's headquarters during the winter of 1861 to spring of 1862. Here, the Confederate General…
Pull over for a slice of Americana at the Triangle Diner, a time capsule of chrome and comfort! This isn't just a place to grab a bite; it's a perfectly preserved piece of roadside history.Back in 1948, the Jerry…
Prepare to be amazed by the Hexagon House, a truly unique home that bucks all the traditional architectural trends! This bizarrely-shaped home was built in the 1870s with an unusual hexagonal floor plan. Designed by…
Pull over for a glimpse into Loudoun County's rich religious history, reflected in two Ebenezer Baptist Churches, old and new. The older of the two, simply called “Old Ebenezer,” was established before 1769. The…
Pull over, history buff! You’re approaching Altona, a historic farm built in 1793 by a Revolutionary War officer, and it’s seen some serious action. This Federal-style gem has witnessed two centuries of American history…
Stand on the site where abolitionist John Brown was hanged after his raid on Harpers Ferry. This unassuming spot in Charles Town, West Virginia, witnessed a pivotal moment in American history.On December 2, 1859, John…
Right here, at the Jefferson County Courthouse, a nation teetered on the brink. John Brown was tried for treason in this very building, a pivotal event that inflamed tensions leading to the Civil War. In 1859, following…
Pull over, history buffs! We’re about to discover a place where vaudeville stars once twinkled in Charles Town. This grand building you see, known today as the Old Opera House, was originally the New Opera House,…
Right here, where you're driving, Stonewall Jackson kicked off his famous Valley Campaign, though not with the victory he expected. The First Battle of Kernstown was the opening act of a campaign that would tie up…
You're near a place tied to horse country royalty! The Old Welbourne Farm is more than just a pretty estate; it's where the founder of American fox hunting was born. John Peyton Dulany, one of Loudoun County's…
Built in 1753, this limestone house stands as a testament to early colonial architecture in Virginia. It's known as the John Hite House, or Springdale. The property was originally the home of Jost Hite, considered the…
Pull over for a minute; this unassuming spot was once a vital hub for the entire community. Springdale Mill, dating back to 1788, wasn't just a building; it was the lifeblood of local agriculture. Built from sturdy…
Imagine standing where West Virginia's oldest Episcopal congregation first gathered. In 1741, Morgan Morgan, a very early settler, built a simple log church here, conveniently located between his home and his mill. He…
This old plantation house, Welbourne, has seen generations come and go, each leaving their mark on its stones. Around 1770, the original section of the house, the south wing, was built. It was a modest stone structure,…
Hold on, you're about to drive through history! Hillsboro, Virginia, isn't just another small town; it's a living museum of early American architecture. Originally known as "The Gap," this strategic location was renamed…
Stop here in Opequon, and you'll find yourself surrounded by echoes of Virginia's earliest history. A mill was established here as early as 1751, making this one of the oldest settlements in the area. This area, known…
Stand here for a moment and imagine the clatter of horses and the rumble of wagons! This unassuming stone bridge played a vital role in connecting early America.Around 1810, this impressive 200-foot-long stone arch…
You're near what was once considered the first permanent European settlement in West Virginia. Cool Spring Farm, also known as Rockdale Spring Farm, was originally settled by Colonel Morgan Morgan. Morgan, a Welsh…
Pull over here, because this unassuming building tells a powerful story about the fight for education in post-Civil War America. This is the Halltown Colored Free School, a vital landmark in the history of…
Imagine the grand parties thrown here, because Farmer's Delight was built in 1791 as the centerpiece of a working plantation. Colonel Joseph Flavius Lane built this elegant brick home, blending the then-new Federal…
Pull over here for a moment and imagine a community bound by peace and faith, a stark contrast to the battles that shaped early America. This is the Goose Creek Meeting House Complex, a testament to the enduring…
Ever wonder how a tiny town could once power a whole region? Right here, at Union Bryarly's Mill, you're about to discover a true economic engine of early West Virginia. This wasn't just any mill; it was a bustling…
Imagine a landscape where time seems to slow down, where the rolling hills whisper stories of a simpler past. That's the Goose Creek Historic District. In the mid-1700s, Quakers seeking religious freedom settled here,…
Ever wondered what it was like to settle West Virginia before it was West Virginia? You're about to pass one of the oldest houses in the entire state, built by a cousin of the infamous Aaron Burr himself! This isn't…
You're passing through a place that owes its existence to the iron horse! Delaplane wasn't always here; it sprang up around a railroad station in 1852. That year, the Manassas Gap Railroad, aiming to connect to the…
Ever wonder what it was like to live through John Brown's Raid? This very house holds the story of its last survivor. Built around 1790 on land once owned by the famous Lee family of Virginia, this spot has seen…
Imagine a village that’s stood the test of time, a place where history whispers from every building. That's Rectortown, a snapshot of Virginia's past nestled in Fauquier County. Rectortown's story unfolds through its…
Before there were gas stations and rest stops, travelers relied on taverns like this one for respite. This spot, known as Yew Hill or Shacklett's Tavern, has been offering weary travelers a place to rest their heads…
Imagine the ground beneath you trembling with the thunder of cannons and the clash of steel – this is Cedar Creek, where a pivotal Civil War battle helped turn the tide for the Union. On October 19, 1864, Confederate…
Pull over, history buff! This unassuming farm played a pivotal role in the American Civil War, especially around Harpers Ferry. Its strategic location, perched on a small hill overlooking the vital B&O Railroad, made it…
Imagine biting into a juicy apple grown right here, because that might not have happened without the guy who built this house! This is the Thomas Brown House, and it's the oldest known dwelling in Berkeley County.…
Pull over here for a minute. You're looking at Green Pastures, a slice of Fauquier County history tied to a prominent figure in the early 20th century. This land was once the estate of Robert Earll McConnell, an…
Walk the streets of Harpers Ferry, where John Brown's raid ignited the flames of the Civil War. The Harpers Ferry Historic District includes many buildings from the early 1800s, built for the workers at the Harpers…
Imagine carving a life out of the wilderness – that's what families faced here at Redbud Hollow. These two log buildings stand as silent witnesses to the earliest days of colonial life in what would become West…
Pull over, because you’re about to see a view that Thomas Jefferson himself declared 'worth a voyage across the Atlantic'! In October 1783, after the Revolutionary War, Jefferson visited this spot. He was so struck by…
Live like a general: this was the country estate of General Billy Mitchell, a controversial figure in military aviation history. From 1926 until his death in 1936, General Billy Mitchell called this place home. He…
Stand where John Brown made his last stand, sparking the flames that would ignite the Civil War. This unassuming building, originally built around 1848, was once the Harpers Ferry Armory's fire engine and guard house.…
Imagine a spark that ignited a nation. That spark was lit right here at Harpers Ferry. In 1859, abolitionist John Brown and his followers raided the U.S. Armory here, hoping to seize weapons and incite a slave…
Abolitionist John Brown raided the federal armory here in 1859, accelerating the path to Civil War.
Right here, where the Potomac River cuts through the mountains, you're looking at a crucial link in America's early transportation network. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad needed to cross this river, and what you see…
Imagine iron being forged right here, helping to build a new nation. This very land, now Old Forge Farm, was once a bustling industrial site and a vital defense point in the Virginia frontier. Back in the mid-1700s,…
Pull over here for a minute; this land witnessed a pivotal moment in the Civil War. Belle Grove Plantation, right here in front of you, served as General Philip Sheridan's headquarters during the 1864 Battle of Cedar…
Pull over for a minute and imagine a school unlike any other in Virginia at the time. This is where the Loudoun Agricultural and Mechanical Institute, also known as Institute Farm, stood. Founded around 1854, it was the…