John Brown's Fort - John Brown's Fort

John Brown's Fort

After Brown's raid, the fire engine house became known as "John Brown's Fort" and attracted tourist attention. In 1891, the building was sold to a buyer who wished to use it as an attraction close to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The building only had 11 visitors and was dismantled and left on a vacant lot after the exhibition. In 1894, a movement was spearheaded by Washington D.C. journalist Kate Field to preserve the building and move it back to Harper's Ferry. Alexander and Mary Murphy deeded 5 acres (20,000 m2) of their Harpers Ferry farm for one dollar ($1.00) as a relocation site, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad provided free shipping. Reconstruction of John Brown's Fort on the Murphy farm was completed by November 1895, which included the gates that surrounded the fort. These gates were designed by George Washington. The Murphy Farm was established September 1, 1869, the National Park Service purchased the farm through TPL, December 31, 2002.

August 17, 1906, Murphy allowed over one hundred prominent African-American men and woman to walk past their farm house to the back field to pay homage to John Brown where the fort had been located. WEB DuBois, Lewis Douglas, WT Greener, and others took their shoes and socks off as walking on holy ground. This day is noted as the John Brown Day written by Benjamin Quarles, Allies for Freedom.

In 1909, Storer College in Harper's Ferry bought John Brown's Fort from Alexander Murphy for $900.00 and moved it to the college's campus. In 1960, the National Park Service acquired the building and, in 1968, moved it once more to a location close to its original site, which had been covered by a railroad embankment in 1894. The Fort is now part of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park run by the NPS and sits 150 feet from its original location. 39°19′22.95″N 77°43′46.43″W / 39.3230417°N 77.7295639°W / 39.3230417; -77.7295639

The John Brown Museum now houses the original armory Gate and Alexander Murphy's picture. The original armory gate was donated to the NPS by Jim Kuhn, great-great grandson for no money or tax benefit; the remaining gates were donated in 1997. Coordinates: 39°19′24.42″N 77°43′47.59″W / 39.32345°N 77.7298861°W / 39.32345; -77.7298861