Existing comment:
The Historic Record
Records in the local courthouse, newspapers, and photo collections tell us about a building's occupants and uses.
1751 Deed: Lord Fairfax grants 125 acres to Robert Harper.
1803 Map: A survey map shows a garden on this location.
1824 Lease: A stone stable on this lot is leased to the Harpers Ferry Hotel.
1844 Deed: The lot is divided in half and two separate owners construct this building; each owning a half.
1844 Newspaper Ads: At least nine
different businesses used the first floor, including "Solomon Snook and Bushrod Pine's Dry Goods Store" and the "New and Cheap Clothing Store."
Pictures are the best evidence of earlier appearance. Compare the 1862 Civil War sketch with the photograph. What are the similarities and differences? How do they compare to the present exterior?
Earliest known photograph of this building, taken sometime between 1865 and 1879. |