Steeple in Harper's Ferry

From the hill looking south downriver the steeple of St. Peter's Catholic Church pokes up through the trees in Harper's Ferry, WV.

These ruins are of another church.

Our top down tour with the park ranger took us right passed the church and into the lower town.

Joining Inspired Sunday

Harper's Ferry Fences

Monday, Dan and I took a short trip to Harper's Ferry, WV known for that famous raid on the US Arsenal by John Brown in an attempt to start a slave revolt and end slavery.  It didn't go well.  We learned that Harper's Ferry is also historic because of associations with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and the Niagara Movement & WEB DuBois.

Joining Fences Around the World

to share these fences in Harper's Ferry.

Two rivers meet in Harper's Ferry.  Here's the bridge over the Potomac.

Here's the Shenandoah that empties into the Potomac.

We took a tour with a National Park Service ranger and visited the Harper's Ferry cemetery.

Here's the grave of a Revolutionary War veteran.

Many of the historical buildings are filled with exhibits.

The C & O Canal along the Potomac and the B & O Railroad had a race west.  Though the canal got to Harper's Ferry first the railroad won the race west.  

Here's the bridge over the Potomac, muddy from heavy rains over the weekend. The Appalachian Trail crosses here and Harper's Ferry is about the midpoint of that Maine to Georgia trek.

No bridge seems to be without locks of love these days.

New Grandchild

We welcomed a new granddaughter to our family at the end of last month.  This is the third granddaughter for us.  A, 3 1/2, & L, 10 months live with Emily & Matt in New Hampshire.  This new one is more local, just a short drive of 20+ miles south to the DC suburbs.

Sarah and William moved less than a month before the baby arrived.  

They both worked full time up until the baby was born.  Now both are on leave, maternity and paternity but trying to settle in before the big event was difficult.  Not everything got done so Dan and I have been helping out.  I have been there almost every day this week.  

Dan and I did take a break on Monday to visit Harper's Ferry, WV for the day. 

(photos to be shared soon.)

On the day the baby was born we were at the hospital by the time she was 4 hours old.

She is a lovely little thing, but sorry can't show her face to you.

Yesterday at their home I had the honor of rocking her to sleep and showing Sarah different ways to hold and soothe her.

We are headed back there this morning to help hang pictures and other tasks as assigned.

What a joy in a little bundle!

Library of Congress Inside

Friday, the 28th, I visited the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.  As promised from my last post where I showed the outside of the building, here is the inside splendor.

Quoting from the pamphlet " The Great Hall is the grand centerpiece of the Italian Renaissance-style building, which is theatrical and heavily ornamented in a Beaux Arts tradition."

Looking up at the ceiling from the first floor.

"The ceiling, seventy-five feet above the marble floor, is decorated with stained-glass skylights."

Here's the skylight.

The Main Reading Room is reserved for researchers but there's a viewing overlook.

"The Main Reading Room's domed ceiling soars 160 feet above the floor."

My photo is taken through glass so you see the reflection.

A friend here at Vantage House worked here 50 years ago and had her desk in one of those alcoves overlooking the main floor.

This is a mosaic of Minerva as she stands ready to defend a civilized society.

It's at the top of the stairs to the viewing overlook of the Main Reading Room.

A view of the Capitol through one of the windows.

"The Library of Congress was established in 1800 ... and the initial collection of 740 books and 3 maps was housed in the new Capitol Building until August 1814, when invading British troops burned the building, destroying the library."

 "President Thomas Jefferson, then retired and living at Monticello, offered his personal library as a replacement.  In January 1815, Congress appropriated $23,950 to purchase Jefferson's collection of 6,487 books..."  The collection was housed in the new Capitol.

Another fire destroyed some of Jefferson's books.  In 1897 a new separate building was opened as the Congressional Library.  The sign above shows which books on display were original to Jefferson's library and which are replacements of ones burned.

Sorry for the poor photo but even with the low light setting it was difficult to capture the space.  Here are some books with green ribbons, original books of Jefferson.

Here is the room where they are housed now.

There are all manner of exhibits in the Library of Congress (Exploring the Early Americas Exhibition, Waldseemuller Map Exhibition, Mapping a New Nation Exhibition, Bob Hope Gallery, Gershwin Room) but the one I was anxious to view was the Gutenberg Bible.

"Produced in Mainz, Germany in the mid 1450s, the Gutenberg Bible is the first book printed using movable metal type in Western Europe."  It's one of three still in existence printed on parchment.

All through the building are paintings and interesting features.

It was a great place to explore and its one to return to again.

Joining Through My Lens and Tuesday Treasure.