Near Sharpsburg in Washington County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Shepherdstown
A Town on the Crossroads of History
Photographed By Craig Swain, September 17, 2012
1. Shepherdstown Marker
History passed through the town of Shepherdstown for centuries. Native Americans cross the Potowomack River at the ford below the bluffs. German settlers crossed at Packhorse Ford as they emigrated from Pennsylvania into Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, giving the name Mecklenburg to the town. In 1832, the C&O Canal arrived, providing a controlled transportation route to the west. The canal also brought businesses to town with a river lock, providing canal boats a means to cross to the Virginia town, then known as Shepherdstown.
During the Civil War the crossing, then Boteler's Ford, provided a location for frequent river and canal crossings by Confederate troops, most notably during the Antietam campaign in 1862.
Today, Shepherdstown is a college town which still has a strong feel of the past. An eclectic collection of shops and restaurants ranging from Bavarian to chic to college hang out, provide a choice for how to experience this Canal Town. Join the recreation minded residents of the town as they too bike, run, and walk between canal and town.
Towns along the C&O Canal
Since 1828 and the beginnings of the C&O Canal, towns along this waterway have both benefited from the commerce on the canal and supported those who used the canal.
Expand your canal experience with a visit
this page online
Erected by Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park - National Park Service - Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1832.
Location. 39° 26.191′ N, 77° 48.008′ W. Marker is near Sharpsburg, Maryland, in Washington County. Marker is on Canal Road, on the right when traveling south. Located along the C&O Canal towpath, under the Rumsey Bridge, near the parking area for Lock 38. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sharpsburg MD 21782, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Blackford's Ford (a few steps from this marker); A View into the Past (within shouting distance of this marker); Ferry Hill (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ferry Hill Place (approx. 0.2 miles away); River Crossing (approx. 0.2 miles away in West Virginia); The James Rumsey Bridge (approx. 0.2 miles away in West Virginia); Waterfront Commerce and the Mecklenburg Warehouse
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
2. Shepherdstown Marker
Also see . . .
1. Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA, located along the Potomac River. It is arguably the oldest town in the state, chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. (Submitted on October 27, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
2. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. (Submitted on October 27, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
3. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal and occasionally called the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland. The canal's principal cargo was coal from the Allegheny Mountains. (Submitted on October 27, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
3. Shepherdstown Marker
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
4. Shepherdstown Marker
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
5. Shepherdstown Marker
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
6. Shepherdstown Marker
Photographed By Craig Swain, September 17, 2012
7. Shepherdstown Marker
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
8. Shepherdstown Marker (Left)
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
9. Shepherdstown Marker (Left)
Photographed By Craig Swain, September 17, 2012
10. Canal Lock
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2012, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 821 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 30, 2012, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 27, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 7. submitted on October 30, 2012, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 8, 9. submitted on October 27, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 10. submitted on October 30, 2012, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
