THE SHEPHERDSTOWN FORD -- through the town of Shepherdstown for centuries. Native Americans cross the Potowomack River at the ford below the bluffs. German settlers crossed at Packhorse Ford as they emigrated from Pennsylvania into Virginias Shenandoah Valley, giving the name Mecklenburg to the town. In 1832, the C&O Canal arrived, providing a controlled transportation route to the west. The canal also brought businesses to town with a river lock, providing canal boats a means to cross to the Virginia town, then known as Shepherdstown. During the Civil War the crossing, then Botelers Ford, provided a location for frequent river and canal crossings by Confederate troops, most notably during the Antietam campaign in 1862.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 00:54:13 +0000
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