Harpers Ferry, WV Floods

06/25/2020

06/07/2020

A reminder of how the town worked together during one of the highest documented floods in it's history- 1889.

#2: The Town United, Live View During the Great Flood of 1889

June 1st, 1889: Harpers Ferry suffered its worst documented flood yet (only to be surpassed in 1936). The rivers rose to a record height – 34.8 feet – destroying the Shenandoah wagon bridge and forcing the Child & McCreight flour mill on Virginius Island to close for good. Many images of the flood capture the destruction and aftermath, but few photos show the flood as it happened.
This image shows the citizens of Harpers Ferry at the bottom of High St., where it intersects Shenandoah St. Children are barefoot, and adults seem to be taking action as they stand next to a pile of salvaged crates. Above our heads is the Apothecary shop sign.

Object Details: Catalog # HAFE 8512
~mh
List #8- Top 10 Details in Old Photos, National Park Service Centennial Digital Feature: 100 Museum Objects in 10 Top 10 Lists!

09/29/2018

Current conditions from our friends at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

According to the current predicted crest - NO buildings in the Lower Town will be imapcted, but please adhere to the posted trail and road warning and closure signage.

If you are visiting the park today, please be aware of your surroundings. Portions of trails near the Shenandoah River are covered in water and are impassable.

The Potomac River is now forecast to crest at 18.4ft sometime this afternoon. Track the river’s level at the National Weather Service’s page: https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=hfew2&wfo=lwx

[Image description: wooden bridge and parts of a trail covered by water] NPS Photo/Troxel ~ahc

05/24/2018

Local trail closure and condition updates from our friends at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

05/21/2018

Here are the general conditions at the River confluence and in Lower Town Harpers Ferry tonight at 8pm, 5/20/2018. The Potomac river level is 15 feet at this point, and it crested yesterday at just below 16 feet.

Please be safe going out as many area trails and roads are still closed while repairs are underway!

05/21/2018

A look at Harpers Ferry river confluence conditions tonight, 8 pm, 5/20/2018, with a Potomac River reading of 15 feet. The Potomac crested at just under 16 feet yesterday.

05/19/2018

05/18/2018

Soaked but strong! Here's an update showing the general Harpers Ferry Lower Town and river confluence conditions on Friday, May 18th, at 6pm.

Flood crest predictions are going down, but many trails and roads are still closed and dangerous!

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP pages have live closure and condition updates.
https://www.facebook.com/chesapeakeandohiocanal/

05/18/2018

Here's a quick look at flood conditions in Harpers Ferry today, May 18th, 2018 at 9am. Current Potomac & Shenandoah river flood predictions are holding to under 20 feet, which means NO buildings or streets in the main Lower Town area will be flooded.

Both the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers are out of their banks, and some local trails and roads are closed. Please do NOT believe the old flood photos that are posted by trouble makers and attention seekers. Real-time information comes from official park and government pages.

Here's the NWS local hydrograph page:
https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=hfew2&wfo=lwx

01/25/2018

Harpes Ferry before the Civil War!

05/08/2017

1859 Harpers Ferry scale model! Imagine what has been lost because of historic floods.

This reminds me of elementary school fun too.

06/27/2016

Here's a video of the river confluence tonight. The Shenandoah is still a bit high, and out of her banks, but we had no major flooding.