Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Weapons Under Fire
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 29, 2019
1. Weapons Under Fire Marker
Inscription.
Weapons Under Fire. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. You are standing in Arsenal Square. Weapons made in the armory were carted here for storage in the two arsenal buildings from 1803 - 1861. The stone rectangle in the ground in front of you outlines the large arsenal built in 1799. Problems plagued the two-story building."liable to be destroyed by fire at any moment." By 1832, overcrowding posed a problem. "The large one [arsenal] is literally crammed.... Large masses [of arms] are stored in bulk for want of boxes." Both buildings were destroyed in 1861, gutted by fire., [Captions:] , Sparks from locomotives presented a fire hazard to the arsenal., Setting Fire , At the start of the Civil War, Virginia militia tried to seize the armory and arsenal. Outnumbered US troops set fire to these buildings to keep nearly 15,000 weapons out of enemy hands.
You are standing in Arsenal Square. Weapons made in the armory were carted here for storage in the two arsenal buildings from 1803 - 1861. The stone rectangle in the ground in front of you outlines the large arsenal built in 1799. Problems plagued the two-story building.
An 1827 report round the large arsenal "liable to be destroyed by fire at any moment." By 1832, overcrowding posed a problem. "The large one [arsenal] is literally crammed.... Large masses [of arms] are stored in bulk for want of boxes." Both buildings were destroyed in 1861—gutted by fire.
[Captions:]
Sparks from locomotives presented a fire hazard to the arsenal.
Setting Fire
At the start of the Civil War, Virginia militia tried to seize the armory and arsenal. Outnumbered US troops set fire to these buildings to keep nearly 15,000 weapons out of enemy hands.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1803.
Location. 39° 19.385′ N, 77° 43.77′ W. Marker is in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. Touch for map
Click or scan to see this page online
. Marker is at or near this postal address: 814 Shenandoah Street, Harpers Ferry WV 25425, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 29, 2019
2. Weapons Under Fire Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 29, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 138 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 29, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
