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1893 Map of Harpers Ferry

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Harpers Ferry
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

Harpers Ferry stands at the dramatic confluence of the Potomac River and Shenandoah River, a site defined by its strategic gap through the Blue Ridge. This 1884 survey, published in 1893, illustrates the complex nineteenth-century transportation network that converged here, including the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The map details the surrounding heights of Maryland Heights and Loudoun Heights, which overlooked critical river crossings like Conrad Ferry and Castleman Ferry.

Beyond the river junction, the landscape transitions into the agricultural valleys of Jefferson and Loudoun. Small settlements and milling operations such as Snyder Mills and Eakles Mills are scattered throughout the limestone terrain. The presence of multiple rail lines, including the Shenandoah Valley Railroad and Washington County Railroad, highlights the area's importance as a commercial corridor between Martinsburg and the Maryland interior.