North River (Cacapon River)

Last updated
North River
North River North River Mills WV 2005 9 19 03.JPG
Bridge over the North River near North River Mills
Location
Country United States
Physical characteristics
Source 
  location South Branch Mountain, Hardy County, West Virginia
Mouth  
  location
Cacapon River at Forks of Cacapon, Hampshire County, West Virginia
39°24′33″N78°25′16″W / 39.40917°N 78.42111°W / 39.40917; -78.42111 Coordinates: 39°24′33″N78°25′16″W / 39.40917°N 78.42111°W / 39.40917; -78.42111
Length52 miles (84 km)
Basin size206 sq mi (530 km2)

The North River is a tributary of the Cacapon River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The river is located in Hampshire and Hardy counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The mouth of the North River into the Cacapon is located at Forks of Cacapon. From its headwaters to its mouth, the North River spans 52.4 miles (84.3 km) in length. [1]

Contents

Headwaters and course

South Branch Mountain to Rio

The North River's headwaters comprise two streams that converge in the southeastern hollows of South Branch Mountain (3028 ft) in Hardy County. From its source, the river flows east through the communities of Inkerman and Rock Oak along North River Road (County Route 1) where it is joined by Grassy Lick Run. The North River continues to flow east as a shallow stony stream and after it passes through a gap in Short Mountain (2864 ft), it acts as the border between Hardy and Hampshire counties. It is in this stretch that the river is home to the Rio Turtle, a large turtle-shaped rock painted to resemble a turtle. The river then enters exclusively into Hampshire County where it meets the community of Rio and Sperry Run, which flows in from the south.

Rio to Forks of Cacapon

At Rio (pronounced RYE-O), the North River makes a ninety-degree bend and flows north into the wide fertile North River Valley along North River Mountain (2149 ft). Also beginning at Rio, the North River parallels West Virginia Route 29 (Delray Road). On its journey northward, the river is fed from the west by Deep Run and Mick Run, which drain off of Short Mountain. Further north along WV 29, the river passes through the communities of Delray and Sedan at Pearl Ridge (1302 ft). Departing from Sedan, the North River flows under the Northwestern Turnpike (U.S. Route 50) at Hanging Rock and winds its way northward around North River Mountain. Pine Draft Run and Tearcoat Creek join the river south of Hoy before the river bends yet again and joins Gibbons Run. Flowing through the historic village of North River Mills, the river is joined by Hiett's Run, which flows from the eastern side of Ice Mountain (1489 ft). After North River Mills, the river makes a sharp linear curve around the Devil's Backbone (856 ft) and then commences its movement northward along Pine Mountain (1726 ft). The North River crosses under the Bloomery Pike (West Virginia Route 127) and is then joined from the west by Crooked Run before flowing under Gaston Road's one-lane bridge and finally arriving at its confluence with the Cacapon River at Forks of Cacapon.

History

Since the early settlement of Hampshire County, the North River had been considered unnavigable by locals and experts alike. While groups of Native Americans probably used the river to transport meat to Ice Mountain, the first known African-American party to successfully float it did so under the direction of the renowned forester and naturalist Paul Bogdan. His group of men, who hailed from nearby New Creek, began their journey at RiverBend Farms and made it to the river's confluence with the Cacapon. Inspired by their feat, one member of Bogdan's crew wrote "Floated from North River Road ford just before the road joins Springfield Grade Road to Rt. 127 on May 24, 2008 when the water level in the Cacapon River was at 4.0 - 3.5 feet. Wonderful scenery, very little development, Ice Mountain nature preserve borders the river for about a mile. Not sure of the climbing possibilities of Ice Mountain, but it does appear to be white/gray Tuscarora quartzite same as Seneca Rocks/The Narrows with some pink quartzite boulders in the water as you float."

Bridges

BridgeRouteLocation
Bridge at Skagg's RunCR 1/5 Inkerman
BridgeNorth River Road (CR 1) Inkerman
BridgeNorth River Road (CR 1) Rock Oak
Rock Oak BridgeRock Oak Road Rock Oak
Bridge at Waterlick RunCR 1/1 Rock Oak
North River BridgeAugusta-Ford Hill Road (CR 53) Rio
Upper Mullins Road BridgeMullins Road (off CR 53) Rio
Lower Mullins Road BridgeMullins Road (off CR 53) Rio
Rio WV 29 BridgeDelray Road (WV 29) Rio
Sedan WV 29 BridgeDelray Road (WV 29) Sedan
Sedan School Road BridgeSedan School Road (CR 11/1) Sedan
Hanging Rock Bridge Northwestern Turnpike (US 50/WV 29) Hanging Rock
One-Lane Double Arch Bridge Cold Stream Road (CR 45/20) North River Mills
North River WV 127 Bridge Bloomery Pike (WV 127) Forks of Cacapon
One-Lane Arch BridgeGaston Road (CR 45/7) Forks of Cacapon

Tributaries

Grassy Lick Run in Kirby Grassy Lick Run Kirby WV 2004.JPG
Grassy Lick Run in Kirby

Tributary streams are listed in order from south (source) to north (mouth).

List of cities and towns along the North River

See also

Related Research Articles

Hampshire County, West Virginia U.S. county in West Virginia

Hampshire County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town (1762). The county was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1754, from parts of Frederick and Augusta Counties (Virginia) and is the state's oldest county. The county lies in both West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands regions.

Cacapon River river in the United States of America

The Cacapon River, located in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle region, is an 81.0-mile-long (130.4 km) river known for its fishing, boating, wildlife, and scenery. As part of the Potomac River watershed, it is an American Heritage River.

Delray, West Virginia Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States

Delray is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Delray is located in the North River Valley along Delray Road between Sedan and Rio. According to the 2000 census, the Delray community has a population of 151.

Rio, West Virginia Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States

Rio is an unincorporated community in southern Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Rio is located just north of the Hardy County line at the crossroads of Augusta-Ford Hill Road and Delray Road in the North River Valley. According to the 2000 census, the Rio community has a population of 154.

Hanging Rock, West Virginia Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States

Hanging Rock is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Hanging Rock is named for the "Hanging Rock" outcrop that hangs over the Northwestern Turnpike. It should not be confused with the plural "Hanging Rocks" over the South Branch Potomac River north of Romney at Wapocomo. Originally, the community of Hanging Rock sprang up in the Henderson Hollow gap of North River Mountain. While only a few buildings of the old hamlet remain, today's Hanging Rock is situated at the intersection of North River Road and Delray Road where the North River flows under U.S. Route 50 towards the Cacapon.

Frenchburg, West Virginia Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States

Frenchburg is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Frenchburg is located along the Northwestern Turnpike where the Little Cacapon River is formed by the confluence of the North and South forks of the Little Cacapon east of Shanks. Frenchburg is also the location of the southern terminus of Little Cacapon River Road on U.S. Route 50. Frenchburg is primarily known for the events that took place there during the American Civil War.

Little Cacapon River river in the United States of America

The Little Cacapon River is a 25.1-mile-long (40.4 km) free-flowing tributary of the Potomac River in the center of Hampshire County, West Virginia. Via the Potomac River, its waters are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The Little Cacapon enters the Potomac at an elevation of 499 feet (152 m) near the community of Little Cacapon. For the majority of its course the Little Cacapon is a shallow non-navigable stream. It has been historically referred to as both Little Cacapehon and Little Capecaphon. The name is pronounced kə-KAY-pən or KAY-pən.

West Virginia Route 29 is a north–south state highway located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at West Virginia Route 55 and West Virginia Route 259 in Baker, Hardy County. The northern terminus is at West Virginia Route 9 three miles (5 km) south of Paw Paw in Hampshire County.

Opequon Creek tributary of the Potomac River in Virginia and West Virginia, United States

Opequon Creek is a 64.4-mile-long (103.6 km) tributary stream of the Potomac River. It flows into the Potomac northeast of Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and its source lies northwest of the community of Opequon at the foot of Great North Mountain in Frederick County, Virginia. The Opequon forms part of the boundary between Frederick and Clarke counties in Virginia and also partially forms the boundary between Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

Dillons Run river in the United States of America

Dillons Run is a 12.9-mile-long (20.8 km) tributary stream of the Cacapon River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The stream is located in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

Tearcoat Creek is an 18.3-mile-long (29.5 km) free-flowing tributary stream of the North River, itself a tributary of the Cacapon River, making it a part of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The creek is located in central Hampshire County, West Virginia. Its name is believed to have been derived from the tearing of the coats of British soldiers by low-hanging branches as they forded the stream during either the French and Indian or the American Revolutionary Wars.

Mill Creek (South Branch Potomac River) tributary stream of the South Branch Potomac River in Hampshire County, West Virginia, USA

Mill Creek is a 14.0-mile-long (22.5 km) tributary stream of the South Branch Potomac River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The stream is located in Hampshire County in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Mill Creek flows into the South Branch west of Romney Bridge near Vanderlip along the Northwestern Turnpike.

Mill Branch is a 9.1-mile-long (14.6 km) tributary stream of the Cacapon River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The stream is located in eastern Hampshire County in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

Big Run (South Branch Potomac River tributary) river in the United States of America

Big Run is a 4.4-mile-long (7.1 km) tributary stream of the South Branch Potomac River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Big Run flows through the city of Romney and the campus of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Hampshire County, West Virginia. The stream is known by local residents as Town Run and Town Creek.

U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia highway in West Virginia

U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia runs from the border with Ohio to Virginia, passing briefly through Garrett County, Maryland, and following the Northwestern Turnpike. Prior to the U.S. Highway System it was West Virginia Route 1 and in the 1930s, the road was not finished in Maryland. Today the section of US 50 from Clarksburg to Parkersburg on the Ohio River is part of Corridor D of the Appalachian Development Highway System.

North River Mountain is a mountain ridge that runs southwest to northeast in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States. Named for the North River that parallels its western flanks for its entire length, North River Mountain reaches its highest elevation of 2,149 feet (655 m) near the community of Delray. North River Mountain extends from Staack's Gap at Rio to the Hiett Run gap at North River Mills. Geologically, Ice Mountain is the same mountain ridge, with the Hiett Run gap acting as the physical divide.

Bearwallow Creek is a 4.3-mile-long (6.9 km) tributary stream of Tearcoat Creek, itself a tributary of the North River, making it a part of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Bearwallow Creek is located in Hampshire County, West Virginia. It rises on Chestnut Oak Ridge, from which it flows southwest along the ridge's eastern flanks and then begins its course southeast along Bear Wallow Hollow Road and U.S. Route 50 until its confluence with Tearcoat Creek at Pleasant Dale.

References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed August 15, 2011

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