With the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the Civil War Less Than Two Years Off, Get Ready To Revisit History in National Parks

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 8, 2009 - 2:14am

The Sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War is less than two years off, so it should come as no surprise that history will be on display in the National Park System. At Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, for instance, they're already talking about John Brown's raid on the U.S. Arsenal there. The 150th anniversary of that attack, by the way, is next Thursday, October 15.

On October 16, 17, and 18, 1859, John Brown and his "Provisional Army of the United States" took possession of the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Brown had come to arm an uprising of slaves. Instead, the raid drew militia companies and federal troops from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. On the morning of October 18, a storming party of 12 Marines broke down the door of the Armory's fire enginehouse, taking Brown and the remaining raiders captive.

For a musical explanation of John Brown's raid, check out this short video: