United States Armory Grounds and Potomac Riverfront: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, National Park Service

Moss, Saylor

The United States Armory property once included various sites in the town of Harpers Ferry. The Armory works that were located here were referred to as the Musket Factory. The Armory works on Halls Island, approximately one mile away was known as the Rifle Factory. This report focuses on the United States Armory and Potomac Riverfront or Musket Factory located along the southwest bank of the Potomac River, above its confluence with the Shenandoah River. The seventy-two acre Musket Factory site is situated along the SW bank of the Potomac River at the base of a ridge forming part of the Blue Ridge Geological Province. The site is surrounded by dramatic topography including 3 distinct landforms including Maryland Heights at 1,448 ft. above the river, Loudoun Heights at 1,175 feet and Bolivar Heights at 668 ft. Located within a hundred-year floodplain, the site has been inundated with major flooding many times since the mid-1700s. The United States Armory and Potomac Riverfront landscape is a complex rectangular-shaped site that extends north from the intersection of Potomac and Shenandoah Streets northwest to the intake dam (Dam 3) located approximately 1.33 mi. upstream on the Potomac River. On its east side is Potomac Street and it its west, the Potomac River. Canalway: The Canalway’s northern border is Dam 3. Heading downstream the site characterized by a dense deciduous riparian forest. Underneath the vegetation lie the remains of the 1801 canal prism. On the river side of the prism, a modern walking path has been worn into the top of the berm. On the opposite side of the prism is an unpaved lane that extends from Potomac Street. The Canalway’ s downstream border is the former hydroelectric plant. Upper Armory Grounds: The former hydroelectric plant forms the upstream edge of the Upper Armory Grounds. During the Armory era, the plant was known as the Rolling Mill. After that it was the Harpers Ferry Paper Company. To the immediate SE of the plant is a grassy clearing. Closer to the river is the same dense deciduous riparian forest that characterizes the Canalway. The Upper Armory Grounds are bisected by railroad tracks that render the wooded southeastern section of this area difficult to reach. The tracks are associated with a CSX rail line that mostly follow the historic alignment of the old B&O Railroad line. There are no recognized paths through the dense vegetation. The only formal circulation route in this section is where Potomac Street crosses the railroad tracks and continues (unpaved) north through the Canalway. The southern border of the Upper Armory Grounds abuts the train station parking lot. Lower Armory Grounds: This section stretches from the upstream edge of the train station parking lot to the intersection of Potomac and Shenandoah Streets. It is bordered to the northeast by the Potomac River and to the southwest by Potomac Street. It is the only section of the site that most visitors access. Downstream from the train station towards the river is a sunken section of land that sits at or near historic Armory-grade levels. Throughout this report this area is described as existing in a “bowl”. Here, archeological sites associated with the historic Armory are interpreted with signs and rope and rod outlines of Armory-era buildings. The top of the B&O-built retaining wall is visible along the north side of this area. The riverside retaining wall that the Armory built was buried at some point during the historic period. Access to the river’s edge is gained via an informal path on the south end of this area. The grade of the southern, or road side of the Lower Armory Grounds is approximately twenty feet higher than the north side. This elevated section is what remains of a railroad berm that was built in 1892. The elevated section is also where the John Brown memorial obelisk and the entrance to the railroad yard are located.

United States Armory Grounds and Potomac Riverfront: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, National Park Service

Series

Collections