Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

John Brown Fort

Photographed By Craig Swain, August 12, 2007

1. John Brown Fort Marker

Inscription. Here is a building with a curious past. Since its construction in 1848, it has been vandalized, dismantled, and moved four times - all because of its fame as John Brown's stronghold.

The Fort's "Movements"

1848 Built as fire-engine house for U.S. Armory.
1859 Serves as stronghold for John Brown and his raiders.
1861-1865 Escapes destruction during the Civil War (only armory building to do so), but it is vandalized by souvenir-hunting Union and Confederate soldiers and later travelers.
1891 Dismantled and transported to Chicago Exposition.
1895 Rescued from conversion to stable and brought back to Harpers Ferry area to be exhibited on a farm.
1909 Purchased by Storer College and moved to campus.
1968 Moved by National Park Service to within 150 feet of its original location.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Notable Buildings • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.

Location. 39° 19.389′ N, 77° 43.76′ W. Marker is in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. Marker is at the intersection of South Potomac

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

Street and Shenandoah Street (County Route 340/9), on the right when traveling east on South Potomac Street. Located just west of the railroad overpass in downtown Harpers Ferry. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Harpers Ferry WV 25425, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Weapons Under Fire (a few steps from this marker); A Nation's Armory (a few steps from this marker); "The War That Ended Slavery" (a few steps from this marker); John Brown (within shouting distance of this marker); Federal Armory (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.

More about this marker. On the lower left is a drawing of the "John Brown Raid, October 18, 1859. U.S. Marines storm the fire-engine house."

On the right side is a portrait of John Brown: "On October 16, 1859, the abolitionist John Brown and his men attacked Harpers Ferry. By the following afternoon the local militia had penned the raiders in this building at dawn on the 18th and captured Brown. Convicted of murder, treason, and inciting slaves to rebellion, he was hanged

Marker at John Brown Fort image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 11, 2008

2. Marker at John Brown Fort

in nearby Charles Town on December 2, 1859."

Also see . . . John Brown Fort. National Park Service site detailing the history of the building. (Submitted on December 30, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Photographed By Craig Swain, August 12, 2007

3. John Brown Fort Marker

The Old Fire Engine House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Swain, August 12, 2007

4. The Old Fire Engine House

The National Park Service often hosts living history displays at "John Brown's Fort."

Close-up Of Cornerstone At Fort image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Stroud

5. Close-up Of Cornerstone At Fort

That this nation might have
a new birth of freedom.
That slavery should be removed
forever from American soil.
John Brown
and his 21 men gave their
lives.
To commemorate their
heroism, this tablet is
placed on this building
which has since been known
known as.
John Brown's Fort
by the
Alumni of Storer College
1918.

Photographed By Michael Stroud

6. The Fort

Wall Stone on the Interior image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Swain, January 24, 2009

7. Wall Stone on the Interior

Rebuilt on Campus 1910

Photographed By Craig Swain, January 24, 2009

8. Wall Stone on the Interior

Restored by Katefield 1895

The John Brown Fort image. Click for full size.

The Capture and Execution of John Brown: A tale of Martyrdom by Elijah Avey

9. The John Brown Fort

Credits. This page was last revised on March 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 30, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,609 times since then and 55 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week October 16, 2011. Photos: 1. submitted on December 30, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on October 25, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3, 4. submitted on December 30, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 5. submitted on December 20, 2007, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 6. submitted on December 26, 2007, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 7, 8. submitted on May 16, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 9. submitted on August 26, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York.