West Virginia is no stranger to churches, but this one is more than a standard house of worship – it is a work of art.
St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, located in Harpers Ferry, was built in 1833, constructed in the pseudo-gothic style. It is the only church to escape destruction during the Civil War.
In 1896, the church was redesigned in the neo-gothic style, which was very popular at the time. It is this style that reflects the church's current appearance.
The church was redesigned with granite walls and red sandstone trim, shipped from Virginia and Maryland, respectively. The interior continues the same architectural design, with grand, curved walls and windows of the same shape over the alter.
The history of the church and its surrounding city has not been forgotten, either. Plaques outside the structure display the history of the city and the church, as if the overlooking hill on which it sits bore witness to the events occurring below.
This church not only reflects the architecture of the past but the history that contributed to its construction. It is a work of art worth visiting time and time again.