Harpers Ferry

I spent a few hours in Harpers Ferry on Sunday. It was bright, sunny, and very hot. Memorial Weekend brought out an American melting-pot of tourists to this scenic and historic location.

This National Historic Park is a weird mix of real town, partial re-enactment, museum, and wax works. It looks and feels a little like a movie set.

The worn steps rising to St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church are photographically irresistible. Despite my best efforts, none of the ones with people in them were any good. So instead, I went HDR-happy with the others. I’d be curious to know which of these two versions you think is most successful.

St. Peter’s is in pretty good shape. The soldier shown here was kind enough to let a few of us inside despite the large “CLOSED” sign out front.

The interior of the church is nice (and cool!), but nothing especially out of the ordinary. For that, you need to see the view that the church commands.

Not to be outdone, the Episcopal Church of St. John sits even higher on the hill than St. Peter’s. Its view is even more magnificent. If you stand in a doorway in the apse, you can see straight out a window across to the railroad and pedestrian bridge over the river to Maryland.

There’s only one problem: the place is in ruins.

The Appalachian Trail runs right through Harpers Ferry. I walked across the railroad bridge and found all sorts of outdoorsy people doing athletic, stamina-requiring things. I took that as a sign I should move on to other pursuits.