Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
The Race to the Ohio
Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, September 26, 2008
1. The Race to the Ohio Marker
Rail transportation in the United States began in Baltimore, Maryland on July 4, 1828, when Charles Carroll, the only living signer of the Declaration of Independence, laid the cornerstone of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
On the same day President John Quincy Adams turned the first spade of earth along the Potomac River for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
The race was underway as the progressive railroad and the traditional canal struggled to become the first to connect the Ohio Valley with the east coast. Harpers Ferry was one of the first milestones of that race.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal, the Former U.S. Presidents: #06 John Quincy Adams, and the Signers of the Declaration of Independence series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1822.
Location. 39° 19.377′ N, 77° 43.718′ W. Marker is in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. Marker can be reached from South Potomac Street. Located
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Iron Horse Wins (here, next to this marker); The Mule Falters (here, next to this marker); Early Travel (here, next to this marker); The Point (a few steps from this marker); Where Three National Trails Meet (within shouting distance of this marker); Capture of Harpers Ferry (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Capture of Harpers Ferry (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Capture of Harpers Ferry (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harpers Ferry.
Also see . . .
1. Impossible Challenge: The Baltimore and Ohio (B & O) in Maryland. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
2. Impossible Challenge II: Baltimore to Washington and Harpers Ferry from 1828 to 1994. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
3. East End: B&O's Neck of the Bottle, Harpers Ferry to Cumberland 1842 - 1992. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
4. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in West Virginia (Images of Rail). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
5. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (Railroad Color History). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
6. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (MBI Railroad Color History). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
7. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the Potomac River Valley (Golden Years of Railroading). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
8. History of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
9. The Great Road: the Building of the Baltimore and Ohio, the Nation's First Railroad 1828 - 1853. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
10. Baltimore and Ohio's Capitol Limited and National Limited (Great Passenger Trains). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
11. Route of the National Limited (Baltimore and Ohio Passenger Service, 1945 - 1971, Volume 1)
Photographed By Craig Swain
2. Markers at the Point
12. Route of the Capitol Limited (Baltimore and Ohio Passenger Service, 1945 - 1971, Volume 2). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
13. Baltimore and Ohio in the Civil War. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
14. The Jones-Imboden Raid: The Confederate Attempt to Destroy the B & O Railroad and Retake WV. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
15. Chessie System (MBI Railroad Color History). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
16. Chessie System: Railroads in West Virginia. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
17. CSX (MBI Railroad Color History). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
18. The C & O Canal Companion. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
19. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (Images of America). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
20. The Great National Project: A History of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
21. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal: A Guide to Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Historic Park. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
22. Towpath Guide to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
23. Life on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 1859. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
24. Single-Span Aqueducts, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park (Historic Structures Report). (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
25. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal: Pathway to the Nation's Capital. (Submitted on November 20, 2008, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.)
Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, September 26, 2008
3. Remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Canal is on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. The railroad bridge has a walkway allowing visitors to cross the Potomac.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,483 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 4, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 2. submitted on May 25, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on October 4, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.
