I need someone to explain why this park has only three parking spaces. That's just nuts…read more Fortunately, there were only two other people here when I visited or I'd have had to park illegally and we can't have that. The centerpiece of Rumsey Park is the 75 foot tall white granite monument, a tribute to the man who invented, designed and engineered the steamboat in 1783 and overlooks the spot on the Potomac where it first sailed. This was the first successful application of steam to aid with navigation and in 1787 demonstrated it here at Shepherdstown Virginia. Though impressive, the commercial feasibility of the technology was widely questioned, and investors were hard to come by. Five years after his first successful demonstration, Rumsey died while pitching to a group of investors in England, his dream of commercial steamboats never fully realized. Of course, the park has a fab view of the Rumsey bridge and this curve of the Potomac River. Quite scenic just not enough parking. [Review 15607 overall - 59 in West Virginia - 1111 of 2021.]

[Coronavirus review] This is a small park, with an irksomely…read moresmall number of parking spaces (some metered parking is available on the street outside the gate). There were only three parking spaces, plus one handicap spot, and a loop that some people tried to park alongside of but which really didn't work well for that. It's a scenic overlook that gets you a view of both the road bridge and a rail bridge, as well as some massive columns for yet more bridges that no longer exist. The monument itself is apparently to the inventor of the steamboat. What's notable about the space these days is that it has a few picnic tables with a view, and all restaurants are takeout right now. Other people arrived at the park carrying the same taco takeout bags that I did. It's a good spot to eat in a pinch.

So gorgeous! The history of this battlefield is unlike any other. The preservation the NPS and…read moreothers have helped put into this park is incredible. I loved that they had the driving option available and you can connect it with an audible, especially on a hot day, it is such a large area I don't know how a person could walk it! It's $20 a vehicle, and so worth it.

Visiting Antietam was a wonderful experience and the battlefield is very well-preserved. There's a…read morewealth of information available here and we learned a large amount about the battle that we hadn't known. The NPS has done a great job here and we really enjoyed being able to visit.

This marker near the Potomac River and the line between Maryland and West Virginia points out the…read morehistory of a local who grew up here and the house that provided some history in the Civil War. The marker reads, "Ferry Hill Place. Built in 1812. The boyhood home of Colonel Henry Kyd Douglas, a member of Stonewall Jackson's staff. September 18, 1862, federal troops occupied these premises and confined the Douglas family, June 18, 1863. Headquarters of Confederate Major General Edward Johnson, en route to Pennsylvania." The house itself is not open to the public though the grounds are. It is managed by the National Park Service. "Ferry Hill Place has stood for two centuries above the Potomac River and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, participating in and watching history pass by. In the 18th and early 19th century German settlers migrated from Pennsylvania south into Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where they then farmed the rich soil. These settlers crossed the Potomac using Packhorse Ford and later Blackford's Ferry below Ferry Hill. Come the 1830s the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal crossed this north/south route, tapping the river waters to provide a controlled water transportation route into western Maryland." [Review 15603 overall - 648 in Maryland - 1107 of 2021.]

Also known as the Shepherdstown Pike Bridge, this bridge replaced the old 1020-foot long Wichert…read moreTruss Bridge in 2006. This is a 1096 feoot long, three-spam steel hunch plate girder design with two lanes of traffic and an eight-foot wide sidewalk. It carries route 34 between Maryland and West Virginia. Back as early as 1775, there was ferry service here between Shepherdstown WV and Sharpsburg MD. A number of bridges have come and been replaced. If you look carefully, you might see some of those stone pilings. The bridge is named in honor of the inventor of the steamship who made a successful public demonstration here on the Potomac on December 3 and 11, 1787. As bridges go, it does a fine job of carrying traffic over the river. It is lacking in aesthetic appeal. [Review 15614 overall - 66 in West Virginia - 1118 of 2021.]

Cullison Park is located on Mill Street, adjacent to the Rumsey Monument Park…read more This area was donated to the town by the Cullison Family. The well shaded park has a few pieces of playground equipment that are in good shape. The park was in use today by a couple of families with kids running about and having fun. Some more places for adults to sit and supervise would be ideal. There is street parking along Mill Street. [Review 15606 overall - 58 in West Virginia - 1110 of 2021.]

Antietam Battlefield is a National Park with free a self-driving or walking tour, with a fee if you…read morewant their map and the museum tour (free with a National Parks membership). The driving tour took us around half an hour, plus more time for stops at the many scenic views, historical monuments, and informative plaques. And we encountered a number of people walking the tour. I'm not a dedicated student of history, but i wrote this just to say this well-mapped tour is worth the time to get a real sense of the landscape and the extent of the battlefields.

I love the National park service and this is part of it... battlefield is well maintained and staff…read morewere plentiful and informative. Gift shop had a good selection of shirts and sizes. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon

Cute place to visit!…read more We were walking around Shepherdstown and came across this museum. The suggested donation is $4 for Adults. It's Free if you are under 12, a student, or member. The lady who greeted us was very friendly and knowledgeable. I enjoyed walking around and learning all sorts of cool stuff about this town. The building is well kept and organized. This used to be a hotel, so each room has a different theme. You really learn a lot. Don't forget to go outside and visit the James Rumsey Steamboat Museum. This may not be a very large museum but it's still a great place to visit when you're in the area.

What a great location for a small cozy wedding! We enjoyed the back garden and spacious room for a…read morefriends wedding. We set up tables on the back porches and danced on the patio. It's such a perfect little place in historic town with much to see in the area for history and antiquing.

Established in 1988 and named for the woman who owned the property where the park is located, Viola…read moreDevonshire Memorial Park isn't much bigger than a single home lot. Deeper than it is wide, the park has a small half court basketball court and a playground area with swings and a slide. There is also a smooth path for walking and some seats for the adults to use while the kids are sitting. A couple picnic tables are the only other equipment here. The park is well shaded and there is a tall fence around it which I found a bit comforting. There is street parking in front. [Review 15611 overall - 63 in West Virginia - 1115 of 2021.]