Books
No time period in history has more impact on Jefferson County citizens than the Civil War years. Those four years saw families uprooted, homes, farms and livelihoods destroyed, and the end of six decades of arms production at Harpers Ferry. For some, the war crashed through their walls and defeaning terror. For others, it led to freedom and education. And whether by choice or not, Jefferson Countians entered the war as Virginians and left as West Virginians. In his first book, historian P. Douglas Perks--"Mr. Jefferson County"--uses his decades of research and writing on the topic, along with rare first person accounts of four citizens who endured these tenuous years. Perks also brings new focus to the statewide issue of secession. No state in the Union was more divided over this issue, and perhaps no other country. Who would cast their lot with the destiny of Virginia and who would remain "firmly attached to the Union of these States"? Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 158 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.5". Weighs 9.7 oz.
Harpers Ferry experienced the Civil War like no other place and was a case study of repeated invasions, military operations, martial law, and endless danger. Journey into the Civil War with stories from those who lived, worked, fought, and died in a border town. This narrative is complemented by full color and black-and-white illustrations, photographs, and maps. Paperback, 200 pages.Author Dennis E. Frye is the Chief Historian at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. He is a writer, lecturer, guide, preservationist, and prominent Civil War historian. A well-know author, Dennis has written 77 articles and six books. Measures 7" x 9.75" x 0.4". Weighs 1 lb. 2 oz.
At the bottom of the “hole” where the Shenandoah River flows into the Potomac River is the village of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (which was Virginia in 1862). Towering over this confluence are Maryland Heights, Loudoun Heights, and Bolivar Heights. It all makes for wild, scenic beauty, but the town becomes virtually indefensible if enemy cannons are placed on the heights. In September 1862, Stonewall Jackson did exactly that. But Jackson was late. He was unable to meet Robert E. Lee’s stringent timetable for capturing Harpers Ferry, and the unprecedented loss of Lee’s Special Orders 191 – which detailed the Confederate invasion plan – compromised the operation and endangered the Confederate army. Often overshadowed by Antietam, the battle never would have occurred without Stonewall’s actions at Harpers Ferry. This guide includes several color and black-and-white photographs and maps of the battlefields. Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 103 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.25". Weighs 6.5 oz.
Published by the Harpers Ferry Park Association in memory of David L. Larsen, Interpreter.The diaries, letters and memoirs of the civilians and soldiers who experienced the war in Harpers Ferry have provided park interpreters an invaluable tool for transporting park visitors to the past. Here are 24 stories written by 17 interpreters, volunteers, rangers and interns that recreate six harrowing years of a town under attack. Paperback, 118 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.4". Weighs 6.5 oz.
A collection of recipes influenced by the confluence! Take a journey back into time with your tastebuds from the late 18th century to present day! Enjoy images of Harpers Ferry past, colorful quotes, and amusing anecdotes. Filled with both historical and modern recipes, Harpers Ferry Bill of Fare will satisfy any appetite for food or nostalgia.Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Spiral bound, paperback, 92 pages. Measures 5.75" x 8.5" x 0.75". Weighs 7.6 oz.
Revised in 2017, this handbook contains the day-by-day narration of Brown’s insurrection, those who were involved, details of the trial, and what happened to John Brown and his men after the raid. Published on the 150th anniversary of the raid, more than a hundred photographs, maps and historic images chronicle the account. Includes suggested reading. Publisher: Donning Publishing Company. Paperback, 111 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.25". Weighs 7.7 oz.
It is impossible to understand America without understanding the history of African Americans. In nearly seven hundred entries, the Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895 documents the full range of the African American experience during that period - from the arrival of the first slave ship to the death of Frederick Douglass - and shows how all aspects of American culture, history, and national identity have been profoundly influenced by the experience of African Americans. The Encyclopedia covers an extraordinary range of subjects. Major topics such as Abolitionism, Black Nationalism, the Civil War, the Dred Scott case, Reconstruction, Slave Rebellions and Insurrections, the Underground Railroad, and Voting Rights are given the in-depth treatment one would expect. But the encyclopedia also contains hundreds of fascinating entries on less obvious subjects, such as the African Grove Theatre, Black Seafarers, Buffalo Soldiers, the Catholic Church and African Americans, Cemeteries and Burials, Gender, Midwifery, New York African Free Schools, Oratory and Verbal Arts, Religion and Slavery, the Secret Six, and much more. In addition, the Encyclopedia offers brief biographies of important African Americans - as well as white Americans who have played a significant role in African American history - from Crispus Attucks, John Brown, and Henry Ward Beecher to Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, Sarah Grimké, Sojourner Truth, Nat Turner, Phillis Wheatley, and many others. All of the Encyclopedia's alphabetically arranged entries are accessibly written and free of jargon and technical terms. To facilitate ease of use, many composite entries gather similar topics under one headword. The entry for Slave Narratives, for example, includes three subentries: The SlaveNarrative in America from the Colonial Period to the Civil War, Interpreting Slave Narratives, and African and British Slave Narratives. A headnote detailing the various subentries introduces each composite entry. Selective bibliographies and cross-references appear at the end of each article to direct readers to related articles within the Encyclopedia and to primary sources and scholarly works beyond it. A topical outline, chronology of major events, nearly 300 black and white illustrations, and comprehensive index further enhance the work's usefulness. Publisher: Oxford University Press. Each volume is hardcover, measures 8.5" x 11.25" x 1.6", and weighs 3 lb 6.1 oz. Volume 1: 490 pages, Volume 2: 543 pages, Volume 3: 490 pages.
When John Brown came to Harpers Ferry in 1859, organizing a school for enslaved African Americans was illegal. Eight years later, after a bloody Civil War, Storer College did just that—and more. To honor the 150th anniversary of the school’s founding, Harpers Ferry Park Association, in partnership with Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, invited park rangers, professors, journalists, and scholars to tell the stories of the teachers, students, and reformers who strove to manifest a new world on the “hill of hope.” This collection reveals tales of courage and conviction, success and defeat, controversy and, above all, hope. Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 176 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.3". Weighs 10.5 oz.
Keychain featuring HFNHP Jefferson Logo. Keychain charm measures 1.6" x 1". Weighs 1 oz.
Read about Hall’s Rifle Works, the U.S. Armory and the mills on Virginius Island. Learn about the machines and equipment in these factories and meet the men and entrepreneurs who ran them. Find out more about the devastation of flooding and unpredictable streamflow that plagued local industry. Many historic photographs and detailed line drawings of machines compliment the text.Author: David T. Gilbert. Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 192 pages. Measures 8.25" x 7.75" x 0.6". Weighs 13 oz.