In October, I was in Harpers Ferry, taking senior pictures for my friend Greyson Beardsley. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to start the project, since I would be taking a portrait of a person in a place I had traveled to. He selected the song "A Satisfied Mind" by Porter Wagoner when I asked what song best describes you. The song is embedded below and I suggest you listen while viewing. A small gallery of all the images is also linked below.
History - "My mom was originally a history teacher. Growing up near Gettysburg kinda sparked my love for Civil War history, and history in general."
Harpers Ferry - "Harpers Ferry is just a cool place with a lot of history and natural landscapes."
Music - "I guess my love of music comes from my grandad. Most of my family grew up with the old ways of life, farming, and living in Appalachia. I remember my grandad loved Johnny Cash, and my great-grandma visited the Grand Ole Opry a lot."
Harpers Ferry, located in West Virginia, sits between the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. The town was originally settled in 1738 by Peter Stephens. The town was then bought by Robert Harper, who then established a Ferry across the Potomac River in 1761. Then, in 1794, George Washington established a United States Armory. The armory would produce over 600,000 muskets, rifles, and pistols between 1801 and 1861, when it was destroyed. On October 16th, 1859, John Brown led 21 others on his famous raid of the armory, hoping to start a slave uprising in the area, which ultimately failed. During the Civil War, the small town changed hands eight times. In 1861, the U.S. garrison stationed there attempted to burn the armory to prevent the Confederate Army from utilizing its machinery; however, locals saved the machinery, and the Confederates moved it to a more secure location. In 1862, a battle occurred in the small town, which resulted in the surrender of 12,500 Union Troops, the largest during the war. In 1937, the completed Appalachian Trail cut through Harpers Ferry and became a major milestone on a thru-hiker's journey. Finally, the town became part of the National Park Service in 1944 and is maintained as the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The park receives over 300,000 visitors annually.