USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 4
USA > Virginia > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 4
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BLUE MOUNTAIN .- This undistinguishing term has been applied to seve- ral chains of the Appalachian system in the United States, but more particu- larly to that one called by some tribes of Indians "Kaatatin Chunk," or Endless Mountain. If we turn our attention to the Appalachian chain we find them often only interrupted, where a cursory survey would lead us to place a termination. Whether the Kittatiny Chain or "Blue Mountain" could be detected eastward from the Hudson we are unprepared to deter- mine, but westward of that river, this chain is found distinct in the Shawan- gunk, near Kingston, in Ulster county, New York. It thence ranges S. W., meets and turns Delaware river at the extreme northern angle of New Jersey, and continues its original direction to the Delaware Water Gap, where the mountain chain is traversed by the river, and the former curves more to the westward, enters Pennsylvania, over which it ranges about 150 miles to the northern angle of Franklin county, after having been pierced by the Lehigh, Schuylkill, and Susquehannah rivers. Between Franklin and Bedford counties the Kittatinny reassumes nearly its original direction in the state of New York, and though in some places confounded with the Alle- ghany, really continues a distinct chain over Maryland, Virginia, North Ca- rolina and Tennessee, into Alabama, S. W. of Susquehannah, the Kitta- tinny rises, and extending first nearly west, between the tributaries of Core- dogwinet and Shoreman's rivers, is thence broken into ridges bounding on the west, the valley of Conecocheague, gradually curves to the southward, and reaches Potomac, extending very little west of south. Rising again beyond the Potomac, between the Opequan and Black creeks, it runs near- ly parallel with the Blue Ridge, is passed by the North Fork of Shenan- doah, and extends thence between the two main branches of that river. Though scarcely appearing distinctly on our best maps, the chain of Kit- tatinny is completely distinct, and continues over Rockingham, Augusta
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and Rockbridge counties, Virginia, into Botetourt, to where it is traversed by James river, below the mouth of Craig's creek. Rising again beyond James river, the chain stretches along the higher sources of James and Roanoke rivers, to the centre of Montgomery county, near Christiansburg. Here it leaves the Atlantic slope, and merges into the valley of the Ohio, by entering the subvalley of New river or Upper Kanawha.
Thus far, in all its range from the Hudson, the Kittatinny chain is bro- ken into links by the higher sources of the Atlantic rivers, and similar to the Southeast Mountain and Blue Ridge, the base gradually rises, ascending the vast inclined plain obliquely, until it reaches the highest apex between the sources of Roanoke and those of Little river branch of New river. In this region the lowest gap through which measurements have been made for a projected canal, is 2049 feet above the level of the Atlantic ocean. The base of the chain now commences to depress and inflecting to a course considerably west of S. W., is traversed by New river or Upper Kanawha. Beyond the latter stream, under the Local name of Iron Mountain, and dis- charging to the eastward the tributaries of New river, and from the oppo- site flank those of the south branch of Holston and Watauga, it reaches the extreme N. E. angle of the Tennessee. At the latter point, the chain as- sumes a direction very nearly S. W., and under the various local names of Iron Mountain, Bald Mountain, Smoky Mountain and Unika Mountain, is pierced in succession by Watuga, Doe, Nolechucky, French, Broad, Big, Pigeon, Tennessee, Proper and .Ifiwasse rivers, and merges according to Tanner's map of the United States, into Blue Ridge, in the northern part of Georgia, between the sources of Coosa and Hiwassee rivers.
If the whole body of the Kittatinny and its mean elevation is compared with the body and elevation of the Blue Rridge, the former exceeds in both respects, from the Hudson to their termination in Georgia, though at the high lands on the Iludson and in the Peaks of Otter, the Blue Ridge rises to a superior elvevation from their respective bases.
As a distinct and defined chain the Kittatinny is upwards of eight hun- dred miles in length. The height above the ocean varies from 800 to 2,500 feet. All the ridges in their natural state were wooded to their sum- mits, though the trees are generally stunted in growth at any considerable height. In the vallies along both flanks the timber is often very large and lofty ; particularly the pines, oaks, hemlocks and liriodendron. On some of the ridges good arable soil is found on the summits, but sterility is the gene- ral character of the soil. Amongst the peculiar features of this chain, one may be remarked, which gives it a very distinct character. In all its length, it is no where strictly a dividing limit between river sources. Without assuming any connexion with the mountains castward of the Hud- son, the Kittatinny is pierced by the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill, Sus- quehannah, Potomac and James rivers, flowing into the Atlantic ocean, and by the Great Kanawha, and various branches of Tennessee, flowing in- to the valley of the Ohio, or basin of the Mississippi.
BLUE RIDGE ..- Of the distinctive chains of the Appalachian system, and indeed of all the sections of this system, the Blue Ridge stands most apart and prominent, though of much narrower base, and of less mean elevation than either the Kittatinny or Alleghany. On a colored map of Virginia the Blue Ridge has a very striking appearance, arising from the fact of being a county limit in all its range over that state. Without tracing a probable but hypothetical identity, between the mountains of Massachusetts,
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Connecticut and Vermont, with the Blue Ridge, we first meet this chain distinct at West Point on the Hudson river. Thence it rises into broken but continuous ridges over New York and New Jersey, to the Delaware, in a S. W. direction. Traversed by the Delaware immediately below the in- flux of Lehigh, and inflecting similar to the Kittatinny, to S. W. by W., it is pierced by the Schuylkill at Reading, by the Susquehannah below the mouth of Swatara, by the Potomac at Harper's Ferry, by James river, be- tween Bedford and Amherst counties, Virginia, and by the Roanoke be- tween Bedford and Franklin counties in the same state. In its further progress S. W. from Roanoke, the Blue Ridge becomes the limit of river source to its final extinction in Alabama. The length of this chain from the Hudson to Roanoke, is 450 miles, and from Roanoke to where it ceases to be a distinct chain in Alabama, 350 miles, having an entire length of 800 miles S. W. from the Hudson. The Hudson does not, however, terminate the Blue Ridge to the N. E. Many river passages through mountains have been noticed and celebrated, and, among others, the passage of this chain by the Potomac at Harper's Ferry; but it may be doubted whether from all the attendent circumstances, any similar phenomenon on carth combines so many very remarkable features as the passage of the tide stream of the Hud- son through the two chains, the S. E. Mountain and Blue Ridge.
Profoundly deep, far below the utmost draught of the largest vessels of war, the flux and reflux of the tides rush along a narrow and tortuous chan- nel, on both sides bounded by enormous craggy and almost perpendicular walls of rock, rising from one thousand to twelve or fifteen hundred feet above the water surface. Sailing along this astonishing gorge the mind in- voluntarily demands by what operation of nature has this complication of wonders been produced? Again, what in an eminent degree enhances the surprise and admiration, is the fact, that this great river pass is made direct- ly through a mountain nucleus In all the chains of the Appalachian sys- tem, masses rise at different places, far beyond the ordinary height, and spreading much wider than the mean base of the chain in which they occur. The Peaks of Otter-the Peaks in the Catsbergs, in Windham, Green county; New York, several peaks of the Green mountains in Vermont, and above all, the White mountains of New Hampshire, are examples. The Highlands, pierced by the Hudson, and passed by the tide from the ocean, are however, every thing considered, by much the most remarkable of these mountain peaks or groups to be found, not only in the United States, but probably on this planet. Receding from the highlands, either to the S. W. or N. E. the chain depresses so much, that on our maps, the continuity in ei- ther direction, is generally not represented. There is, nevertheless, in the vicinity of the Hudson, no real interruption of either the South Mountains, or Blue Ridge, along their direction. The highest peaks being in the Blue Ridge on both sides of the river. Of these peaks, the highest is Butter Hill, which rises 1,535 feet above the ocean tides, and rising abruptly from the water, affords a very fine and extended landscape to the N. W. and W.
After leaving the Hudson, Blue Ridge continuesto N. E. about 20 miles, and then, similar to other chains of the same system on both sides of that river, rapidly inflects to a course a very little north of east, a direction which it maintains above 250 miles in the states of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont. For the first 70 miles of its northerly course, the Blue Ridge discharges from its eastern flank numerous branches of Housatonic, and from the opposing slope, Fishkill, Wappingers, Jansen's or Ancram 5
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and Kinderhook creeks, flowing westward into the Hudson. With the sources of Housatonic and Hoosack rivers, the features of Blue Ridge change ; hitherto from the Hudson, a line of river sources, it now looses that charac- ter, and is broken into innumerable ridges by the higher sources of Hoosack and Batten Kill, flowing into the Hudson, and thence by those of Paulet, Otter, Onion, La Moille and Missisque rivers, falling into lake Champlain. All these latter streams rise in the S. E. mountain, and flowing down a western slope pass the Blue Ridge.
A hypothesis may be hazarded, that what is designated Green mountains in the sourthern part of Vermont, and the ridge or series of ridges, known by the same term in the northern part of the same state, are fragments of two separate chains, though generally represented as the continuation of one and the same chain. Regarding the great western chain, cast of the Hud- son, in the state of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont, as the continua- tion of Blue Ridge, the whole length of the chain in the United States, ex- ceeds 1,000 miles. In relative elevation, the Blue Ridge is humble, though in one part, Bedford county, Virginia, the peaks of Otter rise to 4,200 fect above tide water. Generally, the ridges are from 700 to 1,000 feet above their bases, and the base rising with the mountain, when the ridges are seen from the elevated table land, from which flow Roanoke, Kanawha, Yadkin and Tennessee, they are, in fact, less imposing than when seen from the Hudson, Delaware, Susquehannah, Potomac or James rivers, though at the former region, the real oceanic elevation is more than double what it is near the more northern rivers.
From its prominence, and southwestwardly from the Hudson, its isola- tion, Blue Ridge has been, though very erroneously, regarded and delineated as the extreme southeastern chain of the system; in reality, however, it is the third distinct chain advancing from the Atlantic ocean.
CUMBERLAND MOUNTAIN is a chain of the Appalachian system, and continues under this name through Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and part of Alabama; whilst it is known in Pennsylvania as the Laurel chain. This mountain though not so delineated on our maps, is continuous from Steuben county, in New York, to Jackson, Morgan and Blunt counties in Alabama,-along an inflected line of 800 miles. About the extreme eastern angle of Kentucky, and S. W. of the Great Sandy, this chain becomes dis- tinctly known as the Cumberland mountain, and ranging S. W. seperates Virginia from Kentucky; as far as Cumberland Gap, on the northern boun- dary of Tennessee: continuing S. W., but with an inflection to the N. W. this chain stretches over 'Tennessee,-dividing in its course the waters of the Cumberland from those of Tennessee river: entering Alabama, and crossing Tennessee river at its great bend, it gradually disappears among the sources of the Black Warrior river. The Cumberland chain is in no part very elevated,-ranging from 800 to 1,000 feet above the level of the tide; but though humble as to relative height, it maintains otherwise all the distinctive characters of the other Appalachian chains; extending in long, regular and often lateral ridges, passable only at long intervals where gaps occur, or where it is traversed by rivers. The ridges are wooded to the summit.
KITTATINNY MOUNTAINS, an extensive and important chain of the Ap- palachian system. In Pennsylvania the Kittatiany is very definite, and with an intervening valley between their ranges, parallel to the Blue Ridge. It is the same chain, however, which first becomes definite in the state of
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New York, west of the Hudson, and there known as the Shawangunk, and extending S. W. over the upper part of New Jersey, enters Pennsylvania at the Delaware Water gap. Thence inflecting to W. S. W., is traversed by the Lehigh at the Lehigh Water gap, by the Schuylkill above Ham- burg, and by the Susquehannah, five miles above Harrisburg. From the latter point the chain again infleets still more to the westward, between Cum- berland and Perry counties. At the western extremity of those two coun- ties, the chain abruptly bends to a nearly southern course, between Frank- lin and Bedford counties, enters Maryland, by the name of Cove moun- tain, being traversed by the Potomac river, between Williamsport and Hancockstown, and stretches into Virginia, as the Great North mountains, over Virginia, from the Potomac to James river, between Rockbridge and Alleghany counties. This chain though broken, remains distinct; a simi- lar character prevails from James river to New river, between Wythe and Grayson counties. After being traversed by New river, the chain again assumes complete distinctness, leaves Virginia, and under the local name of Iron mountains, Bald mountains, Smoky mountains and Unika mountains, separates North Carolina and Tennessee, to the Unika turnpike on the western border of Macon county, of the former state. Thence continuing a little W. of S. W., crosses the N. W. angle of Georgia, enters Alabama, and separating the sources of the creeks of Middle Tennessee river, from those of Coosa, merges into the hills from which rise the numerous branches of Tuscaloosa.
Thus, defectively as the Kittatinny, called expressly by the Indians Ka- taatin Chunk, or the Endless mountains, are delineated on our maps, it is in nature a prominent and individual chain, from N. lat. 31º 31' to 41º 30', and 2º 45' E. to 10° W. long., Washington city. Ranging through 7º of lat. and almost 13º of long., stretching along a space exceeding 900 statute miles, and varying in distance from the Blue Ridge, between 15 to 25 miles, gen- erally about 20, though in some places the two chains approach, as at Har- risburg, to within less than 10 miles from each other. In relative height the Kittatinny exceeds the Blue Ridge; but as regards the plain or table land on which they both stand, it rises gradually from tide water in Hudson river, to an elevation of 2,500 feet in Ashe county, of North Carolina. From James river to the Hudson, the chain ranges along the Atlantic slope, and is broken by streams flowing through it on their course towards the Atlan- tic ocean, but passing the higher valley of James river, the Kittatinny winds over the real dividing line of the waters, and is thence traversed by New river, Watauga, -Nolechucky, French Broad and Tennessee rivers.
KITTATINNY VALLEY, in the most extended sense of theterm, is in length commensurate with the mountain chain from which the name is derived; it therefore extends from Hudson river to the northern part of Alabama, vary- ing in width from eight to 25 miles, with generally a substratum of limestone towards Blue Ridge, and of clay slate on the side of the Kittatinny. Some of the most flourishing agricultural districts of the United States, are included in this physical section. The county of Orange, in New York, Sussex and Warren, in New Jersey, are nearly all comprised within its limits. In Pennsylvania it embraces the greater part of the lower section of Northamp- ton; nearly all Lehigh, Berks and Lebanon, the lower part of Dauphin, with the greater share of Cumberland and Franklin. In Maryland the eastern and left part of Washington. In Virginia, a large part of Berkley, Jefferson, Frederick, Shenandoah Rockingham, Augusta, Rockbridge, Bo-
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tetourt, Montgomery and Grayson, and in North Carolina, the counties of Ashe, Buncombe, Haywood and Macon.
The latitude and relative elevation of this great zone has already been shown in the preceding article, and the peculiar features of its parts may be seen under the respective heads of the counties it embraces, in whole or in part.
LAUREL HILL, or Laurel Mountain, is a local name given to several of the western chains of the Appalachian system, and leads of course to con- fusion. The chain in Pennsylvania extending from the Conemaugh to the Youghioghany river,-and which seperates Cambria county, from West- morland, and Summerset from Westmorland and Fayette, is there called the Laurel Hill, whilst another chain ten miles further west, is called the Chesnut Ridge. Both these ridges continue out of Pennsylvania, and en- ter Virginia, S. W. of the Youghioghany; but the names are reversed, and the Chesnut Ridge of Pennsylvania is the Laurel Hill of Virginia. Such is the wretched delineation of the Appalachian system, on all of our maps, that no adequate idea of the respective chains, can, in many instances, be obtained from them. The two chains mentioned in this article, though not so represented, preserve their identity, in a manner similar to the Blue Ridge, from New York to Alabama.
BAYS, HARBOURS, RIVERS, SWAMPS, &c.
To complete our view of Natural Virginia, we have only to consider her waters: these for convenience we shall arrange as we have the mountains, in alphabetical order.
ALBEMARLE SOUND belongs to North Carolina, but as it is . intimately connected with some of the waters of Virginia, we will notice it, -It is an estuary of the Roanoke and Chowan rivers, extending 60 miles in length from east to west, along N. lat. 36°, with a mean breadth of eight miles, but protruding several deep minor bays. The Roanoke enters from the west, and the Chowan from the N. W. at the extreme interior of Albemarle, which spreads below the entrance of those rivers in a shallow expanse of water, with a level, or rather a flat, country along each shore. Every small inlet has its own comparative broad bay, by one of which, the Pasquotank, a navi- gable inland communication by the Dismal Swamp canal, has been formed between Albemarle sound and Chesapeake bay. Albemarle sound is sepa- rated from the Atlantic ocean, by long, low, and narrow reefs of sand; but having two channels of connexion southward with Pamlico sound, one on each side of the Roanoke Island, and on the northward an opening to the ocean by Currituck sound and inlet; both rivers are navigable to near their sources. The climate of this basin differs very much between its extremes, both from difference of latitude and of level. The latitude differs near 34 degrees, and the level not less than 1000 feet, giving an entire difference of temperature of upwards of 5 degrees of latitude. The vegetable productions, both natural and exotic, have a corresponding variety with the extent of cli- mate. On this basin, near the mouth, the orange and sugar cane are culti- vated; and on its higher branches, the apple, and wheat, rye, oats, and other cerealia. The staple vegetable, however, both on the interior and islands contiguous to this basin, is cotton, though admitting a very wide range of staple, such as tobacco, indigo, &c. Rice is extensively cultivated.
APPOMATON river rises in Buckingham and Prince Edward counties,
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and flows thence by a very crooked channel, but by a general eastern course, with the counties of Prince Edward, Amelia, Dinwiddie, and Prince George, on the right, and Buckingham, Cumberland, Powhatan, and Chesterfield on the left, and falls into James river after a comparative course of 90 miles. The tide ascends the Appomattox, to the falls of Petersburg, about 20 miles above the mouth, and thus far contains depth of water for large merchant vessels. This stream drains a very fine section of Virginia, between lat. 37° 33' and 37° 26' north. It may be navigated as far as Broadway's, by any vessel which has crossed Harrison's bar, in James river, and has eight or nine feet water a few miles higher up to Fisher's bar; and by late im- provements it contains seven feet water to Petersburg, where navigation ceases.
BANNISTER river rises by numerous branches in Pittsylvania county, and flowing twenty-five miles in a N. E. direction, enters Halifax county, and inflects to the S. E. about 30 miles, and falls into Dan river about ten miles above the junction of the latter with the Roanoke. Bannister drains most part of the peninsula between Dan and Roanoke rivers, below the eastern boundary of Henry and Franklin counties.
BIG SANDY, mentioned before as Great Sandy river, has its most remote sources in the north western slopes of Clinch mountain, but receives tribu- taries from a distance of 70 miles, along the upper parts of Russell, Taze- well, and Logan counties. The eastern or main branch rises in Logan and Tazewell, but the higher streams uniting, the main channel becomes, for a distance of 30 miles, a line of demarcation between those two counties, to where it passes Cumberland mountain. From the latter point to its influx into the Ohio, the channel of Big Sandy separates Kentucky from Virginia, flowing between Logan and Cabell of the latter, and Floyd, Lawrence, and Greenup of the former state. The main or castern branch of Big Sandy has interlocking sources with those of Guyandot, Blue-stone, a branch of Great Kanawha, Clinch branch of Tennesse, and its own West Fork.
The West Fork of Sandy rises in Russell county, flows thence westward, traverses Cumberland mountain, and enters Pike county, Kentucky. Pas- sing over Pike into Floyd in the original direction, the channel curves to northward, and unites with the eastern branch between Lawrence of Ken- tucky, and Cabell of Virginia. The valley of Big Sandy is in its greatest length' from S. S. E. to N. N. W. about 100 miles, with a mean breadth of about 30; area 3000 square miles; bounded to the westward by the vallies of Kentucky and Licking rivers, to the northeastward by that of Guyandot, and eastward by that of New river, or the upper waters of Great Kanawha. The main stream enters the Ohio at Catlettsburgh in Greenup county, Ken- tucky, and opposite to the extreme southern angle of the state of Ohio, N. lat. 38° 24' and long. 5º 33' west of Washington.
BLACKWATER river has its extreme source in Prince George county, and within 8 or 10 miles southward from the influx of Appomatox into James river. Flowing thence southeastward over Surry and Sussex, it inflects to the southward and separating Southampton on .the right from Isle of Wight, and Nansemond on the left, falls into the Nottoway river very nearly on the border between Virginia and North Carolina, after a comparative course of 70 miles.
BLUE-STONE, a small river in Tazewell and Giles counties, which rises in the latter, and interlocking sources with those of Clinch and Big Sandy,
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION
flows thence N. E. down a mountain valley into New river, which it enters about five miles above the influx of Greenbrier.
CHEAT river, a considerable branch of the Monongahela, rises on the bor- der of Randolph and Pocahontas counties, interlocks with Elk and Green- brier branches of the Great Kanawha, and after uniting with the south branch of the Potomac, flows thence by a general northern course 70 miles, over Randolph into Preston county, inflecting in the latter county to N. N. W. forty miles to its junction with the Monongahela, at the S. W. angle of Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania. The valley of Cheat lies between those of Mo- nongahela on the west, Potomac east, and Youghioghany cast. The length of this valley is about 100 miles, mean breadth not more than 18, and its area about 1800 square miles. Cheat river is 200 yards wide at its mouth, and 100 yards at the Dunkard's settlement,-it is navigable 60 miles higher for boats, except in dry seasons. The boundary between Virginia and Penn- sylvania crosses it, three or four miles above its mouth.
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