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Columbus Day Weekend, Part 1
Posted by Bigfoot on October 25th, 2008
Another long weekend with a Monday holiday brought another attack of wanderlust. But this time, instead of going as far as Shanksville, PA, I visited Gathland State Park, near Burkittsville, MD, of Blair Witch Project notoriety, and Harper’s Ferry, WV, known for John Brown’s unsuccessful raid.
I had wanted to make this post earlier, but some technical difficulties with our former host intervened. But that’s another story.
Gathland State Park is located at the top of a ridge that runs just west of Burkittsville, in a place originally known as Crampton’s Gap, which was the southernmost gap to be fought over during the Civil War battle of South Mountain. After the war, it became the home of war journalist George Alfred Townsend, whose wartime knickname had been Gath. The Appalachian Trail runs through the park.
The park includes this memorial to Civil War correspondents:
The Appalachian Trail runs just to the right of this ruin:
Fall foliage has come to Maryland:
After leaving Gathland, I drove down to the Maryland side of the Potomac River, across from Harper’s Ferry, WV. In the next picture, what looks like a gravel road is actually the towpath of the long defunct Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which is now a National Historical Park. During the 1990′s, I spent many a weekend morning or afternoon biking parts of the towpath. With the exception of a few miles that are closed due to poor conditions, I was able to explore its entire 185 miles, from the Georgetown section of Washington, DC, to Cumberland, MD.
After spending some time in Harper’s Ferry, which will be the subject of Part 2, I followed roadsigns directing me to another historic location. After all the time I’ve spent in Maryland, I finally found the Kennedy farm house, where John Brown and his co-conspirators hatched their plot.
The house is on private property and surrounded by a metal chainlink fence, so this was as close as I could get.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Gorgeous BF, gorgeous. The Fall leaves turning. I’ve been meaning to hike parts of Appalachian Trail, now I think I might now what time of year to do it. And I’ll make sure to steer clear of the Blair Witch Area… lest random shouting and losing of maps occur….
October 25th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Wonderful photos, BigFoot.
A timely reminder that there is a great country out there when we take a break from our computers and this election madness.
October 26th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Great history here- I didn’t know all this about John Brown. There is so much history along the Eastern coast of the US- esp in and around DC and then up in the Boston area…I’ve been on all the Appy Trails up my way, many times, and the things you can learn.
The scenes. The feeling. It’s awesome. And kind of eerie too in some places.
Lovely pics- my favorite time of yr is autumn.