197:
265:
162:
121 new machines. The new workshops had a brick superstructure with iron framing and slanted sheet metal roofing. These reconstructed arsenal buildings became collectively known as the "U.S. Musket
Factory". The armory canal was enlarged so that more water could get to the armory, which meant it would receive more power. Along with the enlargement of the canal, seven new water turbines were installed. The upgrades formed a well-integrated functional unit that improved the flow of work from one stage of production to the next. All the expansions of the armory were done on heavy stone foundations and included cast-iron framing in the general style of "factory Gothics" architecture.
209:
154:
240:. The South had virtually no small-arms production and an inadequate supply of raw materials. The machinery taken from Harpers Ferry became the foundation of the Confederate arms manufacturing. Two weeks later, the Confederates abandoned Harpers Ferry, while also confiscating what was left in the Armory and burning the rest of the remaining buildings. They also blew up the railroad bridge of the
256:, or the border between the free and the slave-holding states. Consequently, the Union used it as an effective means to supply troops with weapons quickly as they marched into battle. The downside to being on the border was that the armory could easily change hands and fall into Confederate control–the town of Harpers Ferry changed hands at least eleven times during the Civil War.
33:
232:
numbering 360 men in all. Harpers Ferry residents (many of whom made their living off the armory) were able to put out the fires swiftly enough to save most of the armory's weapon-making machinery. After rescuing the equipment from the fire, the
Confederates stole the equipment and shipped it south by rail to
134:, which influenced his decision to locate the armory. In 1796, the United States government purchased a 125-acre (0.51 km) parcel of land from the heirs of Robert Harper. Subsequently, in 1799, construction began on the national armory. Three years later, mass production of military arms commenced.
161:
In 1844, the deficient state of the armory was taken into account and demand for military equipment increased, and so the renovation and expansion of the armory was undertaken. The upgrades of the arsenal began in 1845–1854 with the construction of seven brand new workshops and the installation of
144:
Upon its grand opening, the armory's size seemed inadequate for a work force. It consisted of only one room, and the workers numbered a mere twenty-five. Nevertheless, the armory produced many muskets, rifles, and later pistols for the United States. Between 1821–1830 the armory produced 11,855
231:
Close to the beginning of the war on April 18, 1861, just a day after
Virginia's conventional ratification of secession, Union soldiers, outnumbered and deprived of reinforcements, set fire to their own armory in an attempt to thwart the usage of it by an advancing Virginian Confederate militia
311:
The Fort remained at Storer until after the
College closed in 1955, contributing greatly to Harpers Ferry's role as a destination for African-American tourists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was afterwards moved by the National Park Service to near its original location.
165:
In addition, more people were employed to work at the armory than before: the labor force increased from a minuscule twenty-five in 1802 to about four hundred workers in 1859. Furthermore, the working conditions improved, but only slightly.
272:
Due to the degree of damage to the armory during the Civil War, the U.S. government decided not to re-establish the armory at
Harpers Ferry, instead focusing the quickly developing areas west of the Mississippi River.
130:, for the location of the Harpers Ferry National Armory. George Washington believed that an inland location would be more defensible against foreign military attack. However, his friends had an interest in the
1450:
196:
1480:
709:
1475:
1485:
1470:
220:, the armory regularly shipped manufactured weapons and material throughout the United States. However, once the Civil War began, the national armory became a vital control point for both the
300:
This building has been moved four times. The first time, freeing up the site for the railroad to use for an embankment, it was moved to
Chicago, where it was displayed at the
1118:
702:
264:
1460:
695:
293:
was the only building to survive the destruction wrought upon it by the
Confederates and the Union forces. It was the armory's fire engine and guard house, which
304:. Abandoned after that, it was moved back to a farm near Harpers Ferry. From there, it was moved to the place it was the longest, and where it was most honored:
494:
682:
Potomac Power Plant, On West
Virginia Shore of Potomac River, about 1 mile upriver from confluence with Shenandoah River, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
614:
98:, the Armory was destroyed and its equipment removed; it was not rebuilt. The only surviving building is its former fire engine house, known today as
1154:
1012:
84:
1181:
64:, manufacturing firearms, and an armory, a storehouse for firearms. Along with the Springfield Armory, it was instrumental in the development of
1123:
1090:
582:
436:
1455:
1085:
718:
387:
308:, a school established for freedmen in Harpers Ferry, which also was given by Congress the Arsenal managers' housing, set back on Camp Hill.
294:
175:
1490:
881:
756:
1113:
564:
Smith, Merrit Roe
Harpers Ferry Armory and the New Technology: The Challenge of Change. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, 1977.
515:
Simon, R. D. (2010). "The
Machine in Context: Merritt Roe Smith’s Harpers Ferry Armory and the New Technology: The Challenge of Change".
1272:
1108:
971:
1322:
1212:
141:, constructed in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1794 after Congress approved the bill to create the nation's first national armory.
1397:
1377:
1289:
1042:
677:
658:
641:
428:
653:
Armorer's Dwelling House, Northwest side of Shanandoah Street, 400' west of Market Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
1167:
379:
1465:
1174:
221:
1411:
684:", 33 photos, 14 measured drawings, 53 data pages, 4 photo caption pages, built on former armory site
1229:
1037:
936:
376:
From the American System to Mass Production, 1800–1932: The Development of Manufacturing Technology in the United States
145:
arms. Each decade after that, production declined. The building relied on river power to drive the armory's machinery.
53:
1160:
1080:
1022:
1007:
761:
751:
252:
During the Civil War, the armory became a site of great strategic importance because it was located very close to the
241:
76:
1149:
1133:
486:
421:
Cultural Landscape Report for the United States Armory and Potomac Riverfront, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
1317:
829:
225:
217:
1495:
1095:
961:
844:
766:
739:
301:
181:
326:
236:, and from there to Richmond, and use the machinery in the newly reopened, Confederate central government-run
726:
336:
208:
212:
Harpers Ferry in 1865, looking east (downstream); the ruins of the musket factory can be seen in the center
1195:
1100:
916:
901:
801:
734:
341:
153:
111:
1347:
1342:
854:
578:
432:
201:
69:
244:, but returned in two weeks to destroy the Rifle Works and a bridge that crossed the Shenandoah river.
83:. The entrance was close to the center of town, with its train station and hotels, and the bridge, the
1327:
1309:
1224:
1141:
1128:
1064:
1059:
1049:
811:
796:
744:
321:
290:
285:
233:
99:
91:, the Armory had 400 employees. As of that date, the Armory had manufactured some 600,000 firearms.
1367:
1266:
834:
646:
Armory Yard Gateway, Murphy Farm, .5 mile south of Highway 340, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
574:
419:
115:
1294:
1283:
1278:
1261:
1234:
875:
623:
541:
520:
371:
185:
138:
95:
88:
49:
200:
The burning of the United States arsenal at Harper's Ferry, 10 P.M. April 18, 1861, sketched by
137:
The national armory at Harpers Ferry was actually the second national armory. The first was the
1332:
1304:
1256:
1251:
1027:
921:
911:
886:
870:
806:
687:
453:
401:
393:
383:
123:
981:
966:
941:
331:
253:
48:, was the second federal armory created by the United States government; the first was the
1356:
1337:
1239:
976:
839:
791:
771:
237:
131:
126:, given wide latitude in carrying out this order, selected Harpers Ferry, then a part of
1372:
1362:
1188:
956:
931:
896:
891:
786:
346:
305:
1444:
1382:
1245:
991:
951:
946:
926:
906:
781:
776:
536:
Bellesiles, Michael A. "The Origins of Gun Culture in the United States, 1760–1865".
80:
57:
17:
1392:
1387:
1054:
986:
849:
458:
663:
Master Armorer's New House, Shenandoah Street, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
1299:
268:
Overlooking the U.S. Armory (Musket Factory) archaeology site (NPS Photo/Hammer)
184:, which, while unsuccessful in inciting a slave revolt, helped precipitate the
1218:
821:
405:
1426:
1413:
1017:
65:
157:
Gun smithing equipment on display at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
180:
In 1859, the armory became the site of the famous seizure by abolitionist
75:
The Armory was a long, narrow complex of buildings, located alongside the
32:
127:
681:
671:
662:
652:
645:
524:
627:
609:
545:
61:
610:"George Washington and the Establishment of the Harpers Ferry Armory"
263:
207:
195:
152:
397:
276:
Today the site is mostly covered by railroad track embankments.
691:
188:
and the eventual emancipation of slaves in the United States.
297:. It was given the name of John Brown's Fort after the war.
1451:
Jefferson County, West Virginia in the American Civil War
672:
Paymaster's Quarters, Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, WV
1481:
Buildings and structures in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
120:
for the erecting and repairing of Arsenals and Magazines
1476:
Historic American Engineering Record in West Virginia
1486:
Defunct firearms manufacturers of the United States
1471:
Historic American Buildings Survey in West Virginia
1205:
1073:
1000:
863:
820:
725:
102:. As of 2021, it is not in its original location.
46:United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry
456:(December 2023). "The Men Who Started the War".
295:Brown and his raiders barricaded themselves in
703:
8:
418:Lee, Andrew S.; Crosbie, Allison A. (2009).
710:
696:
688:
615:Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
540:, vol. 83, no. 2, 1996, pp. 425–455. has,
1013:B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing
429:Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation
85:B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing
31:
1182:Remarks After the Hanging of John Brown
363:
1124:John Brown Museum (Osawatomie, Kansas)
1091:Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
491:Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
79:line on a strip of land alongside the
1155:John Brown's Provisional Constitution
1114:John Brown Farm, Tannery & Museum
1086:Burning of Winchester Medical College
585:from the original on October 31, 2020
7:
678:Historic American Engineering Record
560:
558:
556:
554:
56:, which since 1863 has been part of
1109:John Brown Farm State Historic Site
608:Smith, Merritt Roe (October 1973).
497:from the original on March 15, 2024
442:from the original on June 30, 2023.
27:Former United States federal armory
1461:John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
719:John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
659:Historic American Buildings Survey
642:Historic American Buildings Survey
487:"Harpers Ferry Armory and Arsenal"
247:
176:John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
72:of precisely the same dimensions.
25:
1323:Origins of the American Civil War
1213:Abolitionism in the United States
216:While Virginia was still in the
1398:Winchester and Potomac Railroad
538:The Journal of American History
248:The armory's strategic location
87:. At its peak, just before the
1168:The Last Moments of John Brown
1119:John Brown House (Akron, Ohio)
493:. U.S. National Park Service.
380:Johns Hopkins University Press
327:Harpers Ferry Model 1803 Rifle
1:
1175:A Plea for Captain John Brown
44:, more formally known as the
1456:Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
1038:Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
36:Harpers Ferry Armory in 1862
1491:United States Army arsenals
1161:The Last Days of John Brown
1081:Battle Hymn of the Republic
1023:Charles Town, West Virginia
1008:Allstadt House and Ordinary
242:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
77:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
1512:
830:Thomas Wentworth Higginson
283:
260:Aftermath of the Civil War
173:
1096:Heyward Shepherd monument
845:Franklin Benjamin Sanborn
767:John Anthony Copeland Jr.
661:(HABS) No. WV-232, "
644:(HABS) No. WV-162, "
302:1893 Columbian Exposition
1150:John Brown's last speech
680:(HAER) No. WV-61, "
670:HABS No. WV-179, "
651:HABS No. WV-230, "
378:, Baltimore, Maryland:
337:M1841 Mississippi rifle
54:Harpers Ferry, Virginia
1196:Virginia v. John Brown
902:John E.P. Daingerfield
802:Francis Jackson Meriam
735:Osborne Perry Anderson
517:Technology and Culture
342:John H. Hall (soldier)
269:
213:
205:
158:
149:Expansion and upgrades
37:
1343:Pottawatomie massacre
855:George Luther Stearns
579:National Park Service
433:National Park Service
267:
211:
199:
156:
70:interchangeable parts
35:
18:Harpers Ferry Arsenal
1466:Armories in Virginia
1328:Battle of Osawatomie
1273:Fire on the Mountain
1225:Battle of Black Jack
1065:Winchester, Virginia
1060:Sandy Hook, Maryland
1033:Harpers Ferry Armory
812:Aaron Dwight Stevens
797:Lewis Sheridan Leary
727:John Brown's raiders
519:, 51(4), 1010–1017.
279:
234:Winchester, Virginia
192:During the Civil War
169:
52:. It was located in
42:Harpers Ferry Armory
1423: /
1368:Henry David Thoreau
1267:Ralph Waldo Emerson
1230:Battle of the Spurs
882:Owen Brown (father)
835:Samuel Gridley Howe
372:Hounshell, David A.
106:The national armory
68:techniques to make
1295:Haitian Revolution
1285:The Good Lord Bird
1279:Wm. Lloyd Garrison
1262:Frederick Douglass
1235:James Madison Bell
876:Mary Ann Day Brown
462:: 82–89, at p. 84.
454:Faust, Drew Gilpin
270:
214:
206:
186:American Civil War
159:
139:Springfield Armory
96:American Civil War
50:Springfield Armory
38:
1427:39.299°N 77.863°W
1406:
1405:
1333:Quindaro Townsite
1305:Elijah P. Lovejoy
1257:George DeBaptiste
1252:John Stuart Curry
1143:John Brown's Body
1135:John Brown's Body
1129:John Brown's body
1050:John Brown's Fort
1043:Historic District
1028:Gibson-Todd House
972:George H. Steuart
922:Stonewall Jackson
912:George Henry Hoyt
871:John Wilkes Booth
864:Other individuals
807:Dangerfield Newby
389:978-0-8018-2975-8
322:John Brown's Fort
291:John Brown's Fort
286:John Brown's Fort
280:John Brown's Fort
170:John Brown's raid
124:George Washington
100:John Brown's Fort
60:. It was both an
16:(Redirected from
1503:
1496:John Brown sites
1438:
1437:
1435:
1434:
1433:
1428:
1424:
1421:
1420:
1419:
1416:
1318:James Montgomery
982:Lewis Washington
967:Lysander Spooner
962:Heyward Shepherd
942:Wendell Phillips
757:Owen Brown (son)
712:
705:
698:
689:
631:
595:
594:
592:
590:
575:"James H Burton"
571:
565:
562:
549:
534:
528:
513:
507:
506:
504:
502:
483:
464:
463:
450:
444:
443:
441:
426:
415:
409:
408:
368:
332:M1819 Hall rifle
254:Mason-Dixon line
21:
1511:
1510:
1506:
1505:
1504:
1502:
1501:
1500:
1441:
1440:
1432:39.299; -77.863
1431:
1429:
1425:
1422:
1417:
1414:
1412:
1410:
1409:
1407:
1402:
1357:Seven Angry Men
1338:Allan Pinkerton
1240:Bleeding Kansas
1201:
1069:
996:
977:J. E. B. Stuart
887:John Brown, Jr.
859:
840:Theodore Parker
816:
792:John Henry Kagi
772:Barclay Coppock
721:
716:
638:
607:
602:Further reading
599:
598:
588:
586:
573:
572:
568:
563:
552:
535:
531:
514:
510:
500:
498:
485:
484:
467:
452:
451:
447:
439:
424:
417:
416:
412:
390:
370:
369:
365:
355:
318:
288:
282:
262:
250:
238:Richmond Armory
194:
178:
172:
151:
132:Potomac Company
108:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1509:
1507:
1499:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1443:
1442:
1404:
1403:
1401:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1373:Harriet Tubman
1370:
1365:
1363:Storer College
1360:
1353:
1349:Santa Fe Trail
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1281:
1276:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1215:
1209:
1207:
1203:
1202:
1200:
1199:
1192:
1189:Tragic Prelude
1185:
1178:
1171:
1164:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1139:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1046:
1045:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1004:
1002:
998:
997:
995:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
957:George Sennott
954:
949:
944:
939:
937:Richard Parker
934:
932:James M. Mason
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
897:Samuel Chilton
894:
892:James Buchanan
889:
884:
879:
873:
867:
865:
861:
860:
858:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
826:
824:
818:
817:
815:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
787:Albert Hazlett
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
759:
754:
749:
748:
747:
737:
731:
729:
723:
722:
717:
715:
714:
707:
700:
692:
686:
685:
675:
667:
666:
656:
649:
637:
636:External links
634:
633:
632:
622:(4): 415–436.
597:
596:
566:
550:
529:
508:
465:
445:
410:
388:
362:
361:
354:
351:
350:
349:
347:Storer College
344:
339:
334:
329:
324:
317:
314:
306:Storer College
284:Main article:
281:
278:
261:
258:
249:
246:
202:D. H. Strother
193:
190:
174:Main article:
171:
168:
150:
147:
107:
104:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1508:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1448:
1446:
1439:
1436:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1383:Denmark Vesey
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1358:
1354:
1352:
1350:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1312:
1311:Marching Song
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1274:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1247:
1246:Cloudsplitter
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1220:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1204:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1191:
1190:
1186:
1184:
1183:
1179:
1177:
1176:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1165:
1163:
1162:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1144:
1140:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1072:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1044:
1041:
1040:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1003:
999:
993:
992:Henry A. Wise
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
952:James Redpath
950:
948:
947:Richard Realf
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
927:Robert E. Lee
925:
923:
920:
918:
917:Andrew Hunter
915:
913:
910:
908:
907:Israel Greene
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
877:
874:
872:
869:
868:
866:
862:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
827:
825:
823:
819:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
782:Shields Green
780:
778:
777:Edwin Coppock
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
746:
743:
742:
741:
738:
736:
733:
732:
730:
728:
724:
720:
713:
708:
706:
701:
699:
694:
693:
690:
683:
679:
676:
673:
669:
668:
664:
660:
657:
654:
650:
647:
643:
640:
639:
635:
629:
625:
621:
617:
616:
611:
606:
605:
604:
603:
584:
580:
576:
570:
567:
561:
559:
557:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
533:
530:
526:
522:
518:
512:
509:
496:
492:
488:
482:
480:
478:
476:
474:
472:
470:
466:
461:
460:
455:
449:
446:
438:
434:
430:
423:
422:
414:
411:
407:
403:
399:
395:
391:
385:
381:
377:
373:
367:
364:
360:
359:
352:
348:
345:
343:
340:
338:
335:
333:
330:
328:
325:
323:
320:
319:
315:
313:
309:
307:
303:
298:
296:
292:
287:
277:
274:
266:
259:
257:
255:
245:
243:
239:
235:
229:
227:
223:
219:
210:
203:
198:
191:
189:
187:
183:
177:
167:
163:
155:
148:
146:
142:
140:
135:
133:
129:
125:
122:". President
121:
117:
113:
112:U.S. Congress
110:In 1794, the
105:
103:
101:
97:
92:
90:
86:
82:
81:Potomac River
78:
73:
71:
67:
63:
59:
58:West Virginia
55:
51:
47:
43:
34:
30:
19:
1408:
1393:Walt Whitman
1388:Wakarusa War
1355:
1348:
1310:
1284:
1271:
1244:
1217:
1194:
1187:
1180:
1173:
1166:
1159:
1142:
1134:
1101:
1055:Kennedy Farm
1032:
987:Walt Whitman
850:Gerrit Smith
762:Watson Brown
752:Oliver Brown
619:
613:
601:
600:
587:. Retrieved
569:
537:
532:
516:
511:
499:. Retrieved
490:
459:The Atlantic
457:
448:
420:
413:
375:
366:
357:
356:
310:
299:
289:
275:
271:
251:
230:
222:Confederates
215:
179:
164:
160:
143:
136:
119:
109:
93:
74:
45:
41:
39:
29:
1430: /
1300:Victor Hugo
1290:miniseries)
1104:(biography)
94:During the
1445:Categories
1418:77°51′47″W
1415:39°17′56″N
1378:Nat Turner
1219:La Amistad
1102:John Brown
1074:Afterwards
822:Secret Six
740:John Brown
427:. Boston:
406:1104810110
353:References
182:John Brown
1018:Beall-Air
1001:Locations
589:March 15,
501:March 14,
118:calling "
114:passed a
89:Civil War
66:machining
583:Archived
525:40928038
495:Archived
437:Archived
398:83016269
374:(1984),
316:See also
224:and the
128:Virginia
1287:(book,
1206:Related
628:4247826
546:2944942
62:arsenal
1351:(film)
1313:(play)
1145:(song)
1137:(poem)
878:(wife)
626:
544:
523:
404:
396:
386:
624:JSTOR
542:JSTOR
521:JSTOR
440:(PDF)
425:(PDF)
358:Notes
226:Union
218:Union
745:body
591:2020
503:2024
402:OCLC
394:LCCN
384:ISBN
116:bill
40:The
1447::
665:"
620:81
618:.
612:.
581:.
577:.
553:^
489:.
468:^
435:.
431:,
400:,
392:,
382:,
228:.
711:e
704:t
697:v
674:"
655:"
648:"
630:.
593:.
548:.
527:.
505:.
204:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
