Monday, September 17, 2001
Falling Water Campsite, Falling Water, WV - Sept 14-17
A fairly nice cg located in the northern panhandle of WV, from here we visited Antietam Natl Battlefield, during what happened to be the anniversary weekend celebration -- not good since it meant it was much more crowded than usual. Antietam has the dubious distinction of being the bloodiest single day of the Civil War. Federal losses were 12,410; Confederate 10,700. Neither side gained a decisive victory. The most interesting fact we learned here was that the Emancipation Proclamation, issued following this battle, did not free ALL the slaves, but only those in states still in rebellion against the US. We also visited Washington Monument SP in Boonsboro, MD. In 1827 the townspeople built the 30-ft high, 54-ft circular monument to honor Washington. It was used during the Civil War as a signal tower. In the 1930s the CCC restored the monument & developed the SP.
We also visited Harpers Ferry, a restored village with a multi-layered importance in US history. It was the site of the first successful application of interchangeable parts at the US Armory & Arsenal, established in the late 18th century. John Brown selected Harpers Ferry as the starting point of his drive to free the slaves. Although he failed, his trial focused attention on the moral issue of slavery and headed the US toward civil war. In 1867, Storer College, an integrated school designed primarily to educate former slaves was started there. Harpers Ferry was also important as a Civil War battlesite.
We also visited Harpers Ferry, a restored village with a multi-layered importance in US history. It was the site of the first successful application of interchangeable parts at the US Armory & Arsenal, established in the late 18th century. John Brown selected Harpers Ferry as the starting point of his drive to free the slaves. Although he failed, his trial focused attention on the moral issue of slavery and headed the US toward civil war. In 1867, Storer College, an integrated school designed primarily to educate former slaves was started there. Harpers Ferry was also important as a Civil War battlesite.
# posted by Doug and Willie @ 6:46 PM 
