The Strider Farm was intimately involved in events concerning the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

near

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2020 United States census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac River, Potomac and Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Rivers in the ...

. Located on a small hill just south of the

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...

line from

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

and

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Martinsburg, West Virginia Martinsburg is a city in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 18,773 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making Martinsburg the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia a ...

, the Strider farm was a strategic location for the control of this vital link. The main house, built ''circa'' 1790 is a -story

Federal style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classical architecture built in the United States following the American Revolution between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was influenced heavily by the works of And ...

in stone masonry. It was enlarged in 1880 with a shallow addition, also in stone. A barn also dates to 1880. The main house was built by Philip Strider, whose descendants appear frequently in the later history of Jefferson County. During the Civil War, the property was the scene of frequent fighting. On September 13–17, 1862,

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

artillery fired on Federal troops from a position near the front yard of the house. Later, in 1864, the house was the headquarters of Federal Major General Horatio G. Wright.

References

American Civil War sites Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Federal architecture in West Virginia Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Houses completed in 1790 Houses in Jefferson County, West Virginia Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Jefferson County, West Virginia, in the American Civil War National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, West Virginia {{AmericanCivilWar-stub