The Harper House

High above Lower Town stands the Harper House, the oldest surviving building in Harpers Ferry. Its story takes us back before the federal armory, the railroads and most of the historic events that would eventually make this little town nationally significant.

Robert Harper began constructing this stone house in 1775. Harper had arrived in this area years earlier and recognized the potential of the location where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers passed through the mountains. He established a ferry across the Potomac, and the settlement that developed around his enterprise eventually became known as Harpers Ferry. 

Harper died in 1782 before the house was completed. From 1782 until 1803, the building operated as the town’s only tavern, making it an important gathering place during the community’s earliest years. Travelers moving through the region could find lodging and refreshment here while overlooking the rivers and the developing settlement below.

The house itself also demonstrates how people adapted their buildings to Harpers Ferry’s steep terrain. Built into the hillside, it appears very different depending upon which side you approach. Its thick stone construction and simple design reflect the late eighteenth century, while its elevated position provides a remarkable view toward the confluence of the two rivers. I especially like the exposed section of stone visible in this photograph. Rather than presenting the building as if it were new, it allows us to see something of its construction—the heavy masonry that has survived for nearly 250 years.

When we walk through a place called Harpers Ferry, it is easy to accept the name without thinking about where it came from. The Harper House brings us back to the beginning. Before there was a historic town to preserve, there was Robert Harper, his ferry, and a small settlement growing beside two rivers. The town still carries his name, and his house still stands above it.