Cultural Landscape Report: Lockwood House

Heritage Landscapes; O’Donnell, Patricia; Viteretto, Peter; Mardorf, Carrie; DeVries, Gregory; Orlow, Tamara; Helmkamp, Thomas

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park preserves historic resources and commemorates the historic events that occurred at and around Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The park consists of portions of the Lower Town, the former Storer College campus, landscapes associated with the national historical park’s Civil War significance, and lands preserving the historic viewshed down the Potomac River. The Lockwood House was constructed in 1847-1848 on a previous building site to serve as the United States Armory Paymaster’s Quarters. Situated on top of a topographical landform called Camp Hill, the property overlooks the Lower Town of Harpers Ferry. This important site commands a panoramic vista of the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shortly after the construction of the Lockwood House, Harpers Ferry, and in some cases the Camp Hill area, witnessed several significant events in American History including John Brown’s Raid, the American Civil War, and the founding of Storer College, one of the first African American colleges in the nation. From heavily or lightly used, to lushly vegetated or trampled under many feet, the Lockwood House landscape on Camp Hill has evolved through time to its present condition some seven acres bounded by Fillmore Street to the north, the Harper Cemetery east wall to the east, the Appalachian Trail to the south, and Lancaster Street to the west. This landscape includes Lockwood House, Brackett House and the area between them, the Harper Cemetery and the woodland. The woodland to the south is included in the site boundaries, as it has a visual impact that alters views to and from the property. The property is historically significant for its cultural resources that have been shaped, modified, and managed by a variety of people and events over time. This research-based Lockwood House CLR seeks to capture, in a comprehensive manner, the origins, evolution, and character of the historic landscape through time to understand the landscape thoroughly and set forth sound recommendations for landscape treatment and interpretation. Discovering the character and details of this landscape during the historically significant events of John Brown’s Raid, the Civil War era, the post-war Freedman’s School, and the early years of Storer College is a primary focus for this landscape investigation. The document follows federal landscape preservation guidance for the development of reports addressing cultural landscapes in a thorough manner. The Lockwood House landscape is comprised of important natural and cultural resources that contribute to the heritage value of the property.

Cultural Landscape Report: Lockwood House

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