The River Kept Destroying This Town. They Kept Rebuilding.

Podcast: Yore Town · Beard Laws Studio, Bleav

Opublikowano: 2026-09-28

Virginius Island was built because of the river. Factories harnessed the power of the Shenandoah. Workers followed the factories. Homes, roads, gardens and a school followed the workers. Before long, a tiny island beside Harpers Ferry, West Virginia had become a thriving industrial community. Then, on September 30, 1870, the river rose. Fast. Reports preserved by the National Park Service describe water rising six feet in just four minutes. Bridges connecting Virginius Island to higher ground were destroyed. Around 70 houses were swept away, industries were devastated, and 42 people died around Harpers Ferry. <...