Harpers Ferry: Town From a Different Time

— -- Harpers Ferry, W.Va., is a town from another time. The cobblestone roads amble around the picturesque village and form lackadaisical city blocks.

Our all too short visit started in a beautiful grassy field at the foot of the city where hundreds of townspeople came out to greet the anchors.

Just to the right was a small, brick building -- the actual fort where John Brown, the leader of an ill-fated anti-slavery revolt, made his last stand. The revolt is thought to be one of the catalyzing events of the Civil War.

It's easy to see that in this town, history is not quickly forgotten. Some of the people even dressed up in 19th century garb to give the full experience and when the fiddle-led band started strumming out a tune, it's nearly impossible to keep your toes from tapping.

When the visit came to a close, the anchors barely made it aboard the train as it started to roll away and waved goodbye to a truly American city.

Exhausted as ever, we settled in for the last leg of the trip and prepared for the most American city of them all, the city where all the questions we've heard so far on this trip can be addressed: Washington, D.C.