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National Park announces plans to demolish five structures

By Toni Milbourne, The Journal

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. —Officials with the National Park Service last week announced plans to demolish five structures within the boundaries of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park beginning Jan. 21. The structures, said to be deteriorating are dubbed the Henkle Farm House buildings and can be found in the Schoolhouse Ridge area of the park outside of Millville.

The buildings, a press release issued said, pose a significant safety risk to visitors and staff.

“Not only will the careful removal of the structures address a major safety concern but this will also help fulfill portions of the park’s 2010 General Management Plan, which called for the Schoolhouse Ridge area of the park to be managed as an 1862 battlefield landscape,” said Superintendent Tanya Gossett. “We appreciate all of the public input we received about this project and look forward to an even better visitor experience on the battlefield,” she added.

The history of the structures goes back to sometime after 1906 when Jacob “Furl” Henkle built his house and established Henkle Farm. The family, according to the National Park Service website then sold the property to the Standard Lime and Stone Company who likely built the dairy barn, milk house, silo and shed/corn crib after 1920. The Standard Lime & Stone Company abandoned the farm in the 1950s and it has been vacant since that time.

Read more: https://www.journal-news.net/journal-news/national-park-announces-plans-to-demolish-five-structures/article_a29d25f6-5048-5f8e-be47-30f58c61ff88.html

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