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In 1751, Robert Harper was given a patent on 125 acres at the present the town a starting point for settlers moving into the Shenandoah Valley and further west. In 1763, the Virginia General Assembly established the town of "Shenandoah Falls at Mr. Harper's Ferry."
On October 25, 1783, Thomas Jefferson visited Harper's Ferry. He viewed "the passage of the Patowmac though the Blue Ridge" from a rock that is now named for him.
George Washington, as president of the Patowmack Company (which was formed to complete river improvements on the Potomac and its tributaries), traveled to Harper's Ferry during the summer of 1785 to determine the need for bypass canals. In 1794Events February 11 1st session of US Senate open to the public. March 14 Eli Whitney is granted a patent for the cotton gin. March 27 The United States Government established a permanent United States Navy and authorized the building of six vessels (in 17, Washington's familiarity with the area led him to propose the site as the location for a new federal armory and arsenal. Some of Washington's family moved to the area; his great-great nephew, Col. Lewis Washington, was held hostage during Brown's raid.The United States Armory and Arsenal was established in the town in 1799Events March 1 Federalist James Ross becomes President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate. March 7 Napoleon captures Jaffa in Palestine and his troops proceed to kill more than 2,000 Albanian captives. March 29 New York passes a law aimed at graduall and the town was transformed into an industrial centre. Between 1801Events January 1 Legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland completed under the Act of Union 1800, bringing about the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. January 1 Giuseppe Piazzi discovers the first (and largest) asteroid Ceres. January 20 J and the outbreak of the American Civil WarThe American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the northern states, popularly referred to as "the U. the Union," " the North," or "the Yankees"; and the seceding southern states, commonly referred to as "the Confederat in 18611861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January January 1 Benito Juarez captures Mexico City January 2 Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by Wilhelm I January 3 American Civil War: Delaware votes not to secede from the United, the Armory produced more than 600,000 musketA musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth-bore long gun. It is fired from the shoulder, except for the rare wall guns. The date of their origin is unknown, but they were obsolete by the middle of the 19th century, having been superseded by rifles. Typical calibs, rifleA rifle is any long gun which has a rifled barrel. A rifled barrel incorporates two or more helical grooves in its bore which impart a spin upon the projectile (usually a bullet) as it travels down the barrel. The angular momentum thereby imparted to thes, and pistol45 Automatic A pistol is a usually small, hand held, projectile weapon, meant for personal use (used by one person) in short-range action. In the 15th century the term was used for small knives and daggers which could be concealed in a person's clothing.s. The inventor John H. Hall pioneered the use of interchangeable parts in firearms manufacture at his Rifle Works in the town between 1820 and 1840.
This industrialization continued in 1833 when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal reached the town. The canal linked Harper's Ferry with Washington DC. A year later, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad arrived.
The Civil War was disastrous for Harper's Ferry. Given the town's strategic location on the railroad and at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley, both Union and Confederate troops moved through Harper's Ferry frequently. In fact, the town changed hands eight times between 1861 and 1865.