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 —

Weapons Under Fire Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 29, 2019

1. Weapons Under Fire Marker

Inscription. 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

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Ferry, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. It is at the intersection of Shenandoah Street and Potomac Street, on the right when traveling east on Shenandoah Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 814 Shenandoah Street, Harpers Ferry WV 25425, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in the Eastern Panhandle.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "The War That Ended Slavery" (here, next to this marker); John Brown (a few steps from this marker); Federal Armory (a few steps from this marker); A Nation's Armory (a few steps from this marker); John Brown Fort (a few steps from this marker); Large Arsenal (within shouting distance of this

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 29, 2019

2. Weapons Under Fire Marker

marker); Large Arsenal Foundation (within shouting distance of this marker); Capture of Harper's Ferry, (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harpers Ferry.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 29, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 271 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 29, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.