Weverton, Maryland

Weverton is an unincorporated community hamlet located in the southern tip of Washington County, Maryland, United States, near the north shore of the Potomac River. Its population is approximately 500. Weverton is located at the intersection of MD Route 67 and U.S. Route 340. The nearest incorporated communities are Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the west) and Brunswick, (located 2.7 miles (4.3 km) to the east). Weverton's approximate elevation is 475 feet (145 m) above sea level.

Panoramic view of the Potomac River taken from Weverton Cliffs looking west/southwest

A local feature is Weverton Cliffs, which are located at the southern end of South Mountain where that ridge is interrupted by the Potomac River. These cliffs are a landmark on the Appalachian Trail located nearly at the halfway point of the trail and well known to through hikers.

History

Founded in the 1820s, Weverton was a speculative venture intended to be a mill town to utilize the waterpower of the nearby Potomac River and transportation provided by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The community was the creation of Caspar Wever, who at one time was the chief construction engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and a specialist in masonry arch bridges, some of which still stand in use.

Later on, speculative land sales collapsed and floods washed out a file-making factory among other businesses. The community that remains has little connection with the original site of Weverton, which now lies partly under the CSX Transportation right-of-way and partly under the present right-of-way of U.S. Route 340.

The Weverton area witnessed passage of several forces involved in the Battle of South Mountain as well as the Battle of Antietam during the Civil War in 1862. Numerous homes in the valley antedate the Civil War and witnessed various skirmishes during this period.

Weverton had a post office until 1951, when it was removed and consolidated with the Knoxville post office in adjacent Frederick County.

Geology

A recognized USDA soil series is called the Weverton Series and is named for Weverton. It describes a soil typical of ridges in the upper Blue Ridge Mountains, comprising flaggy loams and a topsoil of hardwood detritus.