Nestled beneath Maryland, Bolivar, and Loudoun Heights at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, the town of Harpers Ferry is a place where natural beauty meets historical significance. Well preserved by the National Park Service, this quaint and historic town offers access to battlefields, hiking trails, and museums. Much of the battlefield along Schoolhouse Ridge and the Murphy-Chambers Farm, where A. P. Hill mounted attacks against the Union positions defending the town, has been preserved. The Visitor Center on Shoreline Drive off of U.S. Route 340 has parking and shuttle bus service to the compact historic downtown area. The U. S. Armory's firehouse, known as John Brown's Fort, where the abolitionist briefly held out against U. S. Marines under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee, is downtown on the riverfront.