Harper, Liberia
Encyclopedia
Harper, situated on Cape Palmas
, is the capital of Maryland County
in Liberia
. It is a coastal town situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Hoffman River. Harper is Liberia's 11th largest town, with a population of 17,837.
The town is named after Robert Goodloe Harper
, a prominent U.S. politician and member of the American Colonization Society
. It was he who proposed the name Liberia for the American Colonization Society's settlement in Africa, and the town of Harper was named in honor of him.
Before the Liberian Civil War
, Harper was an important administrative centre
. Harper is slowly being rebuilt but without central electricity or water. No hotels and few low standard guesthouses and restaurant
s are functional. Tubman University
, one of only two public universities in Liberia, is located in Harper.
Magnificent unexploited beaches stretch for miles on both sides of Harper and warm ocean temperature year round. Fish
are found in abundance, as well as whales, dolphins and large oysters. Fanti Canoes sail from Harper to Monrovia
via Greenville
. This trip can take from 3 to 6 days depending on the wind and weather. A UNMIL ship, the MV Catarina, sails fortnightly between Harper and Monrovia. From the Ivory Coast, Harper is accessible from Tabou
.
One of the town's most famous sons is President William Tubman
, who was born in Harper. One of Harper's most infamous sons is former interim minister of interior Marias, former warlord to Charles Taylor, and responsible for the River-Gee massacre in April 2003. Harper is the birthplace of Anthony Sio Riggio, the current mayor
of Laytonsville
, Maryland
, United States
.
Cape Palmas
is considered to be one of the traditional hometowns of the Americo-Liberians, descendants of freed slave
s from the United States
who settled in Liberia and declared it an independent country in 1847. John Brown Russwurm
, an African American abolitionist and governor of Monrovia, was buried in Harper after his death. There is a statue to commemorate his grave site.
Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas is a headland on the extreme southeast end of the coast of Liberia, West Africa, at the extreme southwest corner of the northern half of the continent. The Cape itself consists of a small, rocky peninsula connected to the mainland by a sandy isthmus. Immediately to the west of the...
, is the capital of Maryland County
Maryland County
Maryland County is a county in the southeastern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has two districts. Harper serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. It is a coastal town situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Hoffman River. Harper is Liberia's 11th largest town, with a population of 17,837.
The town is named after Robert Goodloe Harper
Robert Goodloe Harper
Robert Goodloe Harper , a Federalist, was a member of the United States Senate from Maryland, serving from January 1816 until his resignation in December of the same year. He also served in the South Carolina House of Representatives , the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina , and in...
, a prominent U.S. politician and member of the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
. It was he who proposed the name Liberia for the American Colonization Society's settlement in Africa, and the town of Harper was named in honor of him.
Before the Liberian Civil War
Liberian Civil War
The First Liberian Civil War was an internal conflict in Liberia running from 1989 until 1996. The conflict killed over 200,000 people and eventually led to the involvement the Economic Community of West African States and of the United Nations...
, Harper was an important administrative centre
Administrative centre
An administrative centre is a term often used in several countries to refer to a county town, or other seat of regional or local government, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located....
. Harper is slowly being rebuilt but without central electricity or water. No hotels and few low standard guesthouses and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s are functional. Tubman University
Tubman University
William V. S. Tubman University, commonly known as Tubman University, is a public university located in Harper, Maryland County, Liberia. The university is named after William Tubman, the 19th President of Liberia.Founded in 1978 as the William V. S...
, one of only two public universities in Liberia, is located in Harper.
Magnificent unexploited beaches stretch for miles on both sides of Harper and warm ocean temperature year round. Fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
are found in abundance, as well as whales, dolphins and large oysters. Fanti Canoes sail from Harper to Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
via Greenville
Greenville, Liberia
Greenville, also known as Sinoe, is the capital of Sinoe County in southeastern Liberia and lies on a lagoon near the Sinoe River and the Atlantic Ocean...
. This trip can take from 3 to 6 days depending on the wind and weather. A UNMIL ship, the MV Catarina, sails fortnightly between Harper and Monrovia. From the Ivory Coast, Harper is accessible from Tabou
Tabou
Tabou Department is one of the departments of Côte d'Ivoire. It is one of four departments in Bas-Sassandra Region. It is served by Tabou Airport....
.
One of the town's most famous sons is President William Tubman
William Tubman
William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman was a Liberian politician. He was the 19th President of Liberia from 1944 until his death in 1971....
, who was born in Harper. One of Harper's most infamous sons is former interim minister of interior Marias, former warlord to Charles Taylor, and responsible for the River-Gee massacre in April 2003. Harper is the birthplace of Anthony Sio Riggio, the current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Laytonsville
Laytonsville, Maryland
Laytonsville is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 277 at the 2000 census. Laytonsville was originally known as Cracklintown. This name originated from the popular cracklin bread, which was baked in the locale. This recipe, essentially a bacon corn bread, also...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas is a headland on the extreme southeast end of the coast of Liberia, West Africa, at the extreme southwest corner of the northern half of the continent. The Cape itself consists of a small, rocky peninsula connected to the mainland by a sandy isthmus. Immediately to the west of the...
is considered to be one of the traditional hometowns of the Americo-Liberians, descendants of freed slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who settled in Liberia and declared it an independent country in 1847. John Brown Russwurm
John Brown Russwurm
John Brown Russwurm was an American abolitionist from Jamaica, known for his newspaper, Freedom's Journal. He moved from the United States to govern the Maryland section of an African American colony in Liberia, dying there in 1851....
, an African American abolitionist and governor of Monrovia, was buried in Harper after his death. There is a statue to commemorate his grave site.