National Register of Historic Places

B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing

Harpers Ferry, Washington County, Maryland
Listed
February 14, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78001484

About this property

The B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing is a 15-acre (6.1 ha) historic site where a set of railroad bridges, originally built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, span the Potomac River between Sandy Hook, Maryland, and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1978, for its significance in commerce, engineering, industry, invention, and transportation. It is the site of multiple successive railroad bridges built between 1836 and 1931, including two still-active CSX bridges (1894 and 1931).

Location

Harpers Ferry, Washington County, Maryland
39.32458, -77.72784

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONINVENTION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Maryland Heights, Spur Battery
Civil War
1.2 mi
Magnolia Plantation
Industrial
2.8 mi
Clagett, Robert, Farm
Industrial
3 mi
John Brown's Headquarters
Industrial
3.9 mi
Brunswick Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Listed
5.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Harpers Ferry — Siege and Capture (September 1862)
1862Civil War
0.1 mi
Harpers Ferry — First Union Occupation and Confederate Seizure
1861Civil War
0.1 mi
Harpers Ferry — Skirmish at the Ferry (July 1861)
1861Civil War
0.1 mi
Harpers Ferry — Cavalry Escape (September 14–15 1862)
1862Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing listed on the National Register?

B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1978.

What type of historic resource is B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing?

B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing?

The period of significance for B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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