Downtown Historical Harpers Ferry, 723 Shenandoah St, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, US

The Harpers Ferry Armory and Arsenal, established in 1799, played a significant role in American history as the second national armory selected by President George Washington. Over the years, the armory produced muskets, rifles, and pistols, with annual production reaching about 10,000 arms by 1810. Despite facing challenges such as waterpower deficiencies and mismanagement, the armory underwent extensive reconstruction between 1845-1854, resulting in the creation of the U.S. Musket Factory. The site witnessed destruction during the Civil War, with Confederate forces seizing ordnance stock and machinery before burning many buildings, leaving only a few structures intact by the war's end.Generated from the website