Harper’s Ferry: Being There

And so, upon further contemplation of this 150-Year Civil War anniversary thing, it occurs to me that there just may be a major business opportunity in the mix... and like all great enterprises, tee-shirts are obviously the most sensible place to start.  Who knows where it could go from there.  Lending money that no one has to unsuspecting consumers could be right around the corner.   

Hell, everyone’s doing it!

Think about it…some of the greatest institutional behemoths printed ‘em up.  Enron, AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Bernie Madoff, The Tower of London, and The Somali Republic all got their start by silk-screening their magical ID on worthless undergarments in invisible ink.  So, why not follow suit?

The real challenge, however, is the label being bandied about for this particular occasion: Sesquicentennial.  Who knew? 

More to the meat of the matter, unless one is focusing on doublewide laundry, the printing of…

SESQUICENTENNIAL 

… across a tee shirt is going to be a full-tilt car crash.

There’s always the ultra-slim approach…

SES-

QUI-

CEN-

TEN-

NIAL

It seems, however, that something gets lost in translation with this treatment.  And, a branding exercise to rev the term is certainly out of the question.  I mean, what’s the point of arguing with the powers-that-be who apparently get paid by the letter? 

So, subsequent to at least 5-minutes of intense market strategy brainstorming, it appears that the whole Civil War commercialism idea is actually crap.  Just ask Disney how it worked out for them.

Harper's Ferry - Back in the Day

That being said, if you still want to get into the spirit of things without capitalizing on the misery of hundreds of thousands, the next most logical thing to do is recognize and understand what went down during the Civil War and try like hell to avoid a repeat.  Seems both responsible and sensible.  To that end, why not just jump right into the program?  And, if you’ve read my previous installment on the subject, the obvious place to begin nets to Harper’s Ferry. 

While only a short journey from DC and Northern Virginia, a trip to Harper’s Ferry covers centuries of real estate and, in addition to being rich in Civil War lore, will also put one in pretty good non-Sesquicentennial historic company.  (say that three times fast… or just once, for that matter).

George Washington led his first surveying expedition there at age 17, Thomas Jefferson got pretty gooey over the beauty of its surroundings, and Lewis and Clark’s pacific-bound jaunt blasted-off from the spot long before they even knew how to spell Sacajawea (on second thought, they may have never figured that one out). 

The first big decision to consider whilst filing your flight plan is where to stay when you arrive.  There are really only two camps associated with this decision… 1) Do you want to stage a dress rehearsal for a trip to Bakersfield and stay at a motel? or 2) Get into the thick of it by lodging at one of the many historic alternatives?  Rhetorical questions, to be sure.  You connect the dots. 

A few of the options available include:

The Armory Quarters (http://harpersferryvacationrentals.com), built in 1820 to house workers from the Armory.  A clever name for the joint, eh?

Harper's Ferry Today

The Camp Hill Bed and Breakfast (http://www.camp-hill.com/) features two suites facing the Blue Ridge Mountains in the midst of Historic Harpers Ferry.

The Mountainside Lodge (http://www.vrbo.com/265656) a 2-1/2 story brick federal-period building built in the 1830's.

And, my personal historic favorite, The Jackson Rose Bed & Breakfast (www.thejacksonrose.com).  A beautifully restored Federal-style home (circa 1795), listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and once the headquarters for General "Stonewall" Jackson.

Of course, there are many other fine lodgings, including a place or two to pitch a tent if that’s your thing. 

Dining options are equally diverse and range from ice creameries (Scoops), to cafes (The Canal House Café - http://www.canalhousecafe.com), to pubs (The Secret Six Tavern), to fine dining (Grandale Farm Restaurant http://www.grandalefarm.com).  Your choice to mix it up.

The real “nut” of the matter, however, are the plethora of attractions and activities that Harper’s Ferry offers.  At the historic vortex of the town manifesting itself today as a National Park, there are many, many events aimed at the Sesquicentennial while business as usual provide for exploration of historic sites, ruins, battlefields, and a variety of other historically significant spots (http://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm).

And, if you’re head is about to explode due to an overload of historic content, a variety of business are on hand that can help you find a bit of brain sorbet through biking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, or rafting excursions... weather permitting.  

All in all, Harper’s Ferry is a perfect, low-impact getaway from the day-to-day grind.  So close…yet so far.

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