Due to staffing constraints, we ask that you contact park staff with your research request a minimum of 30 days in advance via email. Please explain the nature of your research, the intended product, and why you feel access to our collections is necessary for your research. Phone inquiries will not be accepted. An attempt will be made to acknowledge your request within 2 weeks. The complexity of the request and the backlog of current requests will significantly impact the final response to your request. No time commitments will be made prior to the research beginning on your request. The ability for park staff to fulfill these research requests is dependent on the current workload; no guarantee that we will be able to fulfill these research requests will be made.
Harpers Ferry NHP does not provide staff for research services. Members of the public may request to do research on-site as with other government agencies. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and due to very limited staffing, it is likely we will not be able to accommodate on-site researchers.
Engineer’s drawing of a lock, drawn by James H. Burton, former machinist and master armorer at Harpers Ferry Armory.
NPS/HAFE 13639, Harpers Ferry NHP Museum Collection.
Park Archives
The park does manage some archival holdings. Most of these holdings are the resource management documents that are critical for the continual management of the park. There are also some isolated historic collections that have been donated to the park from outside donors. Please explore the linked additional resources below to see if the information you desire is contained there.
Genealogical Research
While many famous--and not so famous--people lived in Harpers Ferry, the park contains no family histories or archives related to individual families in the area. While you might find some mention of family members in any one of our numerous historic studies, much of that information was obtained from other off-site archival institutions. There is limited research into the family lines of some of the local families.Those are scanned and located on the Integrated Resources Management Applications (IRMA) site.
Image of the Storer College choir from 1920.
NPS/HAFE 12977, Harpers Ferry NHP Museum Collection
Additional Resources
We are happy to have researchers interested in the park’s collections. The park's archives contain unique documentation of resource management actions, including planning documents and archeological reports. Many of the documents are available in our digital archives. Please visit the following links to further explore what the park has to offer:
Resource Management Collection Finding Aid - this describes and lists the collections currently managed at the park. This is divided by the different programs in the park to the best of our ability. This collection is constantly changing and there is a push to transfer some of these items to NARA. This finding aid is modified once a year and that year is located in the file name.
Finding Aid to the Henry Temple McDonald Papers - This finding aid describes the Henry Temple McDonald (1872-1951) Papers, 1864-1977 (bulk dates 1930-1951). These papers resulted from McDonald's activities in various organizations and projects, including the establishment of Harpers Ferry National Monument, now Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. McDonald. the president of Storer College in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, also worked with the Jefferson County Historical Society to place markers at local historic sites. The papers contain correspondence, manuscripts. research and collected materials generated by McDonald's efforts to administer the college, establish a national park, and research several subjects.
Electronic Technical Information Center - central repository for managing all NPS generated drawings, specifications, scientific, and technical reports. These documents are used in the planning, development, construction, modification, and repair of buildings and facilities in the parks.
NPGallery Digital Asset Management System - discover and explore a comprehensive library of National Park Service images, video, audio, maps, presentations, documents, and more.
Open Parks Network - search a digitized collection of over 350,000 cultural heritage objects and 1.5 million pages of gray literature housed in the libraries, museums, and archives of our nation’s parks, historic sites, and other protected areas.
