Existing comment:
Transportation:
Millions of years ago, geologic fores created an opening in the Blue Ridge mountains. This water gap provided a passageway for footpaths, canoes, ferries, canals and railroads. As the country expanded westward, a steady stream of people funneled through the gap. In the 1820s, the C&O Canal and the B&O Railroad competed for business along the river corridor. Harpers Ferry thrived as travel improved dramatically, markets expanded and immigrant laborers settled in the area. Today, bridge ruins and empty canals contrast with modern highways and railroads as a testament to the evolution of transportation in America. |