2017-08-21 Mon

Harpers Ferry is situated between Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland popular for John Brown's raid on the United States Federal Armory in 1859.

John Brown (1800-1859) was a radical abolitionist who fought against slavery in the United States. Brown made plans to attack institutions of slavery with the help of many thinkers and activists like him. John Brown, along with over 20 men attacked the federal armory at Harpers Ferry on 16th October 1859. The abolitionists took control of John Brown's Fort for three days but lost the battle against the command of Col. Robert E. Lee. John Brown was hanged to death on 2nd December 1859.

The Fort was dismantled in the early 1890s and rebuilt in 1895 at a different location. It was owned by several people after it was finally bought by the National Park Service (NPS) in 1960. The NPS moved the fort to Harpers Ferry where the events of 1859 occurred. The park became a National Historical Park in 1963.

The obverse features a portrait of Washington. Flanagan's initials "JF”, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the inscription LIBERTY, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, and denomination QUARTER DOLLAR.

The reverse depicts John Brown's Fort, the inscriptions HARPERS FERRY, E PLURIBUS UNUM, 2016, WEST VIRGINIA, JOHN BROWN'S FORT, initials of artist Thomas Hipschen and initials of Engraver Phebe Hemphill.