Saving History Saturday: Allstadt’s Corner Site Officially Transferred to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
On August 17, 2019, a momentous occasion occurred at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. That day, the American Battlefield Trust officially transferred the Allstadt’s Corner property to the park.
Totaling 13 acres in size, the property transfer included the historic 1790 Allstadt Home and Ordinary, two structures directly involved in John Brown’s Raid and the 1862 Battle of Harpers Ferry. The site was also witness to the Harpers Ferry Arsenal & Armory, which was a testament to the country’s developing industrial capacity in the 19th century.
The park’s Superintendent H. Tyrone Brandyburg stated that, “This generous donation to the American people allows the National Park Service to preserve this important place, its lessons and its stories forever. It’s an honor to be entrusted with its care.”
The Allstadt’s Corner site is just one of many major projects (542 acres in total) the American Battlefield Trust and its supporters have saved at Harpers Ferry.
Trust Board Member Lt. Gen. Richard Mills reflected on the organization’s successes there, “The donation of Allstadt’s Corner is just the latest example of the Trust working alongside Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to protect the critical landscapes involved in some of the most dramatic chapters of American history.”