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102-857: The Allegheny Front and the Eastern Continental Divide do not always coincide; for example, the North Branch of the Potomac River begins well west of the Front, at the Fairfax Stone near the southwestern tip of Maryland, about 10 miles (16 km) and across the actual divide from the headwaters of the Youghiogheny River draining northwards into the Monongahela and Ohio rivers. The Allegheny Front

204-689: A European spelling of Patawomeck , the Algonquian name of a Native American village on its southern bank. Native Americans had different names for different parts of the river, calling the river above Great Falls Cohongarooton , meaning "honking geese" and "Patawomke" below the Falls, meaning "river of swans". In 1608, Captain John Smith explored the river now known as the Potomac and made drawings of his observations which were later compiled into

306-498: A combination of education, training, administrative, and social service. The remainder of the workforce was spread across trucking, management, maintenance and repair, and other industries. The poverty rate in Keyser was 27.4 percent. Its median household income was $ 28,378. Among the largest companies employing Keyser residents are: As of the census of 2010, there were 5,439 people, 2,224 households, and 1,253 families residing in

408-521: A household in the city was $ 23,718, and the median income for a family was $ 32,708. Males had a median income of $ 29,034 versus $ 20,818 for females. Per capita income was $ 13,813. About 16.3 percent of families and 18.9 percent of the population were below the poverty line , including 34.2 percent of those under age 18 and 11.0 percent of those age 65 or over. Keyser is the home of the Potomac State College of West Virginia University ,

510-646: A junior college that serves primarily as a feeder college to WVU's main campus in Morgantown . Keyser is part of the Mineral County Schools district. The schools in Keyser include Keyser Primary School and Fountain Primary School, which cover Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade; Keyser Middle School, which covers fifth through eighth grade; Keyser High School, which covers ninth through 12th grades; Mineral County Alternative School; and

612-489: A map and published in London in 1612. This detail from that map shows his rendition of the river that the local tribes had told him was called the "Patawomeck". The spelling of the name has taken many forms over the years from " Patawomeck " (as on Captain John Smith 's map) to "Patomake", "Patowmack", and numerous other variations in the 18th century and now "Potomac". The river's name was officially decided upon as "Potomac" by

714-414: A massive outcropping of Oriskany or Ridgeley sandstone known as Queens Point, a popular cliff from which to take in views of Keyser. The cliff is approximately 400 feet above the river. The southern edge of Keyser is not bound by geology, as the valley here stretches farther south than the city limits. Beyond its southern limits is the unincorporated community of New Creek. Today, Keyser's western horizon

816-596: A part of the divide between the Monongahela River and New River portions of the Ohio River watershed. Most of the Allegheny Front is capped by a nearly horizontal, erosion-resistant stratum (rock layer) of white Pottsville conglomerate , sometimes where flat with younger Carboniferous strata on top. The silica -cemented, gravel -containing Pottsville rock formed as part of a vast delta in

918-711: A path through the Alleghenies, arrived. Sometime between 1855 and the start of the Civil War, the townsfolk renamed the village New Creek Station, after the creek that runs by it. In 1861, the American Civil War came to New Creek Station in then- Hampshire County, Virginia , when the Union established Fort Fuller. The railroad that had been a blessing to the town had turned into a curse, drawing repeated assaults by Confederate forces. Because of its geography,

1020-597: A point north of the Pennsylvania/Maryland boundary where it is offset about 10 miles (16 km) to the east as it changes from the bold escarpment that characterized it west of Altoona to its more gentle rise in Maryland. Across the Mason–Dixon line in Maryland, the front becomes Dans Mountain , west of Cumberland , which reaches 2,895 feet (882 m) at Dan's Rock. Along Maryland's southern border,

1122-464: A relatively flat plain in a valley surrounded by mountains and open to many approaches, New Creek was an easy target for Confederates. The area changed hands 14 times during the war due to the importance of the railroad. Complete disaster finally visited New Creek on November 28, 1864, when Fort Fuller was overcome; the Confederates then took over the town, destroying the earthworks and nearly all

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1224-630: A series of large islands while it heads northeast to Moorefield . At Moorefield, the South Branch is joined by the South Fork South Branch Potomac River and runs north to Old Fields where it is fed by Anderson Run and Stony Run. At McNeill , the South Branch flows into the Trough where it is bound to its west by Mill Creek Mountain (2,119 ft) and to its east by Sawmill Ridge (1,644 ft). This area

1326-402: A series of name changes, but was ultimately named after William Keyser , a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad official. The first local land grant was issued by Lord Fairfax to Christopher Beelor on March 20, 1752. The place was first called Paddy Town, for Patrick McCarty, an Irish immigrant who came to then-Hampshire County, Virginia, sometime after 1740. Eventually, a community developed, which

1428-609: A serpentine path through the eastern Allegheny Mountains. First, it flows northeast by the communities of Bloomington , Luke , and Westernport in Maryland and then on by Keyser , West Virginia to Cumberland , Maryland. At Cumberland, the river turns southeast. 103 miles (166 km) downstream from its source, the North Branch is joined by the South Branch between Green Spring and South Branch Depot , West Virginia from whence it flows past Hancock , Maryland and turns southeast once more on its way toward Washington, D.C. , and

1530-492: A two-year break in the 1950s due to a reelection defeat, Freeland served as mayor from 1937 until 1957. Athey was first elected in 1973 and had stints as mayor until health problems forced him to resign in 1990. As of 2016, approximately 11 percent of Keyser's workers were employed in manufacturing jobs in or around Keyser. Another 20 percent worked in health care or personal care and service. A little less than 20 percent worked in sales and food service. About 17 percent worked in

1632-724: A water intake 725 feet (220 m) offshore, citing potential harm to Maryland's interests by an increase in Virginia sprawl caused by the project. After years of failed appeals within the Maryland government's appeal processes, in 2000 Virginia took the case to the Supreme Court of the United States , which exercises original jurisdiction in cases between two states. Maryland claimed Virginia lost its riparian rights by acquiescing to MDE's permit process for 63 years (MDE began its permit process in 1933). A Special Master appointed by

1734-539: Is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County , West Virginia . It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area . The population was 4,853 at the 2020 census . Keyser, the county seat of Mineral County, is located on the North Branch of the Potomac River at its juncture with New Creek in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Throughout the centuries, the town went through

1836-795: Is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States that flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland . It is 405 miles (652 km) long, with a drainage area of 14,700 square miles (38,000 km ), and is the fourth-largest river along the East Coast of the United States . More than 6 million people live within its watershed . The river forms part of

1938-463: Is at least 3.5 million years old, likely extending back ten to twenty million years before the present when the Atlantic Ocean lowered and exposed coastal sediments along the fall line. This included the area at Great Falls, which eroded into its present form during recent glaciation periods. The stream gradient of the entire river is 0.14%, a drop of 930 m over 652 km. "Potomac" is

2040-898: Is currently re-bounding as a result of the ICPRB 's successful "American Shad Restoration Project" that was begun in 1995. In addition to stocking the river with more than 22 million shad fry, the Project supervised the construction of a fishway that was built to facilitate the passage of adults around the Little Falls Dam on the way to their traditional spawning grounds upstream.   *denotes naturalized species; Sources: Striped mullet Mugil cephalus Spot Leiostomus xanthurus Spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatus Keyser, West Virginia Paddy Town (c.1752-1855) Wind Lea (1855-c.1860) Keyser ( / ˈ k aɪ . z ər / )

2142-487: Is dotted with wind turbines. The NedPower Mount Storm Wind Farm began construction in 2006, installing 132 wind turbines atop the Allegheny Front, many of them overlooking Keyser. Eventually, the wind farm reached 162 turbines, making it the largest east of the Mississippi. Keyser's oldest section is its downtown with the 1868 courthouse and two main commercial streets: Main and Armstrong. Armstrong runs parallel to

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2244-563: Is headed by a mayor and five-member city council . Each serves four-year, staggered terms. The mayor and two council members are elected at one election, with the remaining three council members elected two years later. Elections are held on the second Tuesday in June of even-numbered years. Originally, terms were only two years long, with staggered terms and elections held every June. Two of Keyser's longest serving mayors were John C. Freeland (1894–1967) and Irving T. Athey (1922–1997). Except for

2346-441: Is less clearly unified. Pottsville-capped Spruce Mountain , south and east of Seneca Creek, continues the Allegheny Front's geology southward; this ridge reaches an elevation of 4,863 feet (1,482 m) at Spruce Knob , West Virginia's highest point. Similarly steep escarpments sharing much of the same geologic structure are also present nearby along the eastern slopes of Allegheny Mountain and Back Allegheny Mountain (along with

2448-711: Is located on its banks, as is Mount Vernon , the home of "Father of his Country" George Washington . During the American Civil War, the river became the boundary between the Union and the Confederacy , and the Union's largest army, the Army of the Potomac , was named after the river. The Potomac River runs 405 mi (652 km) from Fairfax Stone Historical Monument State Park in West Virginia on

2550-839: Is one of the windiest spots east of the Mississippi , leading to the recent establishment of wind farming there. The Allegheny Front forms part of the Appalachian Structural Front , separating the Appalachian Plateau from the Appalachians' Ridge and Valley Province . The various other escarpments along this structural feature include the Catskill Escarpment to the northeast and the Cumberland Escarpment to

2652-510: Is readily accessible by a major road. The front is also a significant part of scenic views from various highways and mountains to its east, such as North Fork Mountain in West Virginia. The NedPower Mount Storm Wind Project in West Virginia includes 132 wind turbines along 12 miles (19 km) of the Allegheny Front in Grant County near Mount Storm . Constructed between 2006 and 2008, it generates up to 264 megawatts of electricity for

2754-402: Is said that President Abraham Lincoln used to escape to the highlands on summer nights to escape the river's stench. In the 1960s, with dense green algal blooms covering the river's surface, President Lyndon Johnson declared the river "a national disgrace" and set in motion a long-term effort to reduce pollution from sewage and restore the beauty and ecology of this historic river. One of

2856-475: Is spread over a greater distance (particularly considering stream meanders ) through the Appalachian Plateau to the Ohio River. These contrasting patterns of erosion produce a steep escarpment along much of the front's eastern edge, with the mountains west of the front generally grading more gently into the Appalachian Plateau. The nearly continuous high elevation and clifftop bedrock exposures of

2958-443: Is the habitat to bald eagles . The Trough passes into Hampshire County and ends at its confluence with Sawmill Run south of Glebe and Sector . The South Branch continues north parallel to South Branch River Road ( County Route 8) toward Romney with a number of historic plantation farms adjoining it. En route to Romney, the river is fed by Buffalo Run, Mill Run , McDowell Run, and Mill Creek at Vanderlip . The South Branch

3060-526: Is traversed by the Northwestern Turnpike ( U.S. Route 50 ) and joined by Sulphur Spring Run where it forms Valley View Island to the west of town. Flowing north of Romney, the river still follows the eastern side of Mill Creek Mountain until it creates a horseshoe bend at Wappocomo 's Hanging Rocks around the George W. Washington plantation, Ridgedale . To the west of Three Churches on

3162-545: The Allegheny Plateau to Point Lookout , Maryland, and drains 14,679 sq mi (38,020 km ). The length of the river from the junction of its North and South Branches to Point Lookout is 302 mi (486 km). The river has two sources. The source of the North Branch is at the Fairfax Stone located at the junction of Grant , Tucker , and Preston counties in West Virginia . The source of

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3264-807: The Atlantic coastal plain . Once the Potomac drops from the Piedmont to the Coastal Plain at the Atlantic Seaboard fall line at Little Falls , tides further influence the river as it passes through Washington, D.C., and beyond. Salinity in the Potomac River Estuary increases thereafter with distance downstream. The estuary also widens, reaching 11 statute miles (17 km) wide at its mouth, between Point Lookout, Maryland, and Smith Point , Virginia, before flowing into

3366-522: The Board on Geographic Names in 1931. The similarity of the name to the Ancient Greek word for river, potamos , has been noted for more than two centuries but it appears to be due to chance. The Potomac River brings together a variety of cultures throughout the watershed from the coal miners of upstream West Virginia to the urban residents of the nation's capital and, along the lower Potomac,

3468-516: The Chesapeake Bay . The exact location of the South Branch's source is northwest of Hightown along U.S. Route 250 on the eastern side of Lantz Mountain (3,934 ft) in Highland County. From Hightown, the South Branch is a small meandering stream that flows northeast along Blue Grass Valley Road through the communities of New Hampden and Blue Grass . At Forks of Waters , the South Branch joins with Strait Creek and flows north across

3570-692: The Eastern Continental Divide usually pass within a few miles of the Allegheny Front and in many places coincide with it; this divide between waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico separates the westward-flowing Ohio River watershed from the eastward-flowing watersheds of the Susquehanna , Potomac , and James rivers. Numerous eastward-flowing streams have their headwaters incised into Allegheny Front, displacing

3672-1482: The Fall Line . This 108-mile (174-km) stretch encompasses the Potomac from a short distance below the Washington, DC - Montgomery County line, just downstream of the Little Falls of the Potomac River , to the Chesapeake Bay . Along the way the following tributaries drain into the Potomac: Pimmit Run , Gulf Branch , Donaldson Run , Windy Run , Spout Run , Maddox Branch , Foundry Branch , Rock Creek , Rocky Run, Tiber Creek , Roaches Run, Washington Channel , Anacostia River , Four Mile Run , Oxon Creek , Hunting Creek , Broad Creek , Henson Creek, Swan Creek, Piscataway Creek , Little Hunting Creek , Dogue Creek , Accotink Creek , Pohick Creek , Pomonkey Creek , Occoquan River , Neabsco Creek , Powell's Creek , Mattawoman Creek , Chicamuxen Creek , Quantico Creek , Little Creek , Chopawamsic Creek , Tank Creek , Aquia Creek , Potomac Creek , Nanjemoy Creek , Chotank Creek , Port Tobacco River , Popes Creek , Gambo Creek , Clifton Creek , Piccowaxen Creek , Upper Machodoc Creek , Wicomico River , Cobb Island , Monroe Creek , Mattox Creek , Popes Creek , Breton Bay, Leonardtown , St. Marys River , Yeocomico River , Coan River , and Hull Creek . The river itself

3774-706: The Horseshoe Curve track section west of Altoona , so that freight trains could ascend or descend to or from the Allegheny Plateau to the west. Substantial portions of the Allegheny Front's crest and slopes are parts of a national forest (the Monongahela in West Virginia) or various state, local, or private wildlands parks or preserves. The few readily accessible scenic viewpoints atop the Allegheny Front are popular tourist destinations. The Skyline Overlook along U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia

3876-563: The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin . The compact was amended in 1970 to include coordination of water supply issues and land use issues related to water quality. Beginning in the 19th century, with increasing mining and agriculture upstream and urban sewage and runoff downstream, the water quality of the Potomac River deteriorated. This created conditions of severe eutrophication . It

3978-512: The National Register of Historic Places . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.92 square miles (4.97 km ), all land. It is situated in a valley on the south side of the North Branch of the Potomac River at its junction with New Creek. New Creek forms most of the eastern boundary of the town. On the immediate eastern bank of New Creek is New Creek Mountain , peaking at 1,552 feet above sea level on

4080-497: The North Branch Potomac River into Allegany County , Maryland , and continues to Cumberland and points north. Heading south, US 220 heads through Moorefield and Petersburg before crossing into Virginia . The other primary highway serving Keyser is West Virginia Route 46 . From Keyser, WV 46 heads west to Piedmont and Elk Garden while to the east, WV 46 extends to Fort Ashby . Keyser's government

4182-670: The Pennsylvanian period . The region was then uplifted and folded during the Alleghenian orogeny about 320-250 million years ago, during the Carboniferous and Permian periods, forming the modern Appalachian Mountains as the North American and African tectonic plates collided. Subsequent erosion (for more than 200 million years) has preferentially removed various softer surrounding rocks, especially

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4284-619: The US Geological Survey and the Fish and Wildlife Service , began to identify fish in the Potomac and tributaries that exhibited "intersex" characteristics, as a result of endocrine disruption caused by some form of pollution. On November 13, 2007, the Potomac Conservancy, an environmental group, issued the river a grade of "D-plus", citing high levels of pollution and the reports of " intersex " fish. Since then,

4386-539: The census of 2000, there were 5,303 people, 2,241 households, and 1,333 families residing in the city. Population density was 2,791.7 people per square mile (1,077.9 people/km ). There were 2,542 housing units at an average density of 1,338.2 units per square mile (516.7 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 90.55 percent Euro American, 7.07 percent Black, 0.40 percent Asian , 0.32 percent from other races , and 1.43 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race comprised 0.72 percent of

4488-547: The 1980s, through sewage plant upgrades and restrictions on phosphorus in detergents. By the end of the 20th century, notable success had been achieved, as massive algal blooms vanished and recreational fishing and boating rebounded. Still, the aquatic habitat of the Potomac River and its tributaries remain vulnerable to eutrophication, heavy metals , pesticides and other toxic chemicals, over-fishing, alien species , and pathogens associated with fecal coliform bacteria and shellfish diseases. In 2005 two federal agencies,

4590-784: The Allegheny Front is also its southernmost high point, Mount Porte Crayon at 4,770 feet (1,450 m), on the Pendleton / Randolph county line in West Virginia. Its lowest point, 790 feet (240 m), is along the North Branch of the Potomac River near Keyser, West Virginia . Other high points along the front include the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia, a broad, rocky plateau at an elevation of about 4,000 feet (1,200 m); Dan's Rock on Dans Mountain in Maryland at 2,895 feet (882 m); and Blue Knob in northern Bedford County, Pennsylvania , with an elevation greater than 3,120 feet (950 m). Local segments of

4692-445: The Allegheny Front provide an important corridor of upland habitat in the central Appalachian Mountains. During the fall, the Allegheny Front is associated with an important flyway for migratory birds traveling from their northern breeding grounds to their southern wintering sites. In good weather, the birds can be seen from late morning, when they take advantage of the thermals (rising pockets of warm air) to facilitate flying, until

4794-699: The Baltimore & Ohio. Besides the B&;O, railroad workers were now employed by the Western Maryland Railroad and the West Virginia Central Railroad . On February 3, 1913, the West Virginia legislature granted Keyser a charter designating it the "City of Keyser" (though the name was nearly changed during WWI due to the connotations of its pronunciation as "kaiser"). In 1924, Keyser experienced massive flooding of

4896-441: The CSX (formerly B&O) railroad tracks, across which is a neighborhood known as the North End, sandwiched between the tracks and the river, where homes were constructed beginning in the late 1910s. Not far from downtown is Fort Hill, a small hill in the center of the city crowned with the campus of Potomac State College. The south end of Keyser features a relatively newer neighborhood, on the west side of U.S. Route 220, with most of

4998-417: The Chesapeake Bay. The source of the North Branch Potomac River is at the Fairfax Stone located at the junction of Grant , Tucker and Preston counties in West Virginia. From the Fairfax Stone, the North Branch Potomac River flows 27 mi (43 km) to the man-made Jennings Randolph Lake , an impoundment designed for flood control and emergency water supply. Below the dam, the North Branch cuts

5100-412: The Dolly Sods and an overlook along U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia . Since the eastern side of the front is drained by Chesapeake Bay stream that drop fairly rapidly through the Ridge and Valley Province to the low-elevation waters of the Great Appalachian Valley , erosion on the eastern slope of this caprock layer has been much more intense than on the western slope, where drainage to low elevations

5202-458: The North Branch of the Potomac River cuts down through the front at 790 feet (240 m) just west of Keyser, West Virginia . South of the Potomac in West Virginia, the front continues through the Mount Storm area, then passes along the eastern edge of Dolly Sods, a wide plateau of Pottsville conglomerate bedrock at about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) elevation. From the Sods, the front continues southward as an increasingly steep escarpment west of

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5304-444: The North Fork River to the east, along the front's base. Many of these windswept cliff-edge outcrops are sparsely vegetated, with occasional one-sided ( flagged ) red spruce ( Picea rubens ) trees, and open habitats dominated by various low-growing Appalachian and boreal plant species. The long, steep, nearly continuous, often windswept escarpment of the Allegheny Front has both positive and negative effects on society and culture in

5406-426: The North Fork of the South Branch Potomac River , with the Roaring Plains West Wilderness continuing the high plateaus of the Dolly Sods area along the escarpment's crest. The Allegheny Front's southern end is Mount Porte Crayon (4,770 ft or 1,450 m), after which the land drops steeply to Seneca Creek , west of Seneca Rocks . South of Mount Porte Crayon and Seneca Creek, the Appalachian structural front

5508-425: The Potomac River, which brought widespread damage to homes and businesses. In the 20th century, Keyser's economy relied heavily on manufacturing and the railroad. While after WWII, Keyser experienced another boom in industry, the town was hit hard by the economic crises of the 1970s and early 1980s, resulting in numerous industrial closures. Although Keyser's fortunes were generally tied to the national economy through

5610-437: The Potomac and its North Branch since both states' original colonial charters grant the entire river rather than half of it as is normally the case with boundary rivers. In its first state constitution adopted in 1776, Virginia ceded its claim to the entire river but reserved free use of it, an act disputed by Maryland. Both states acceded to the 1785 Mount Vernon Compact and the 1877 Black-Jenkins Award which granted Maryland

5712-442: The Potomac as its principal source of drinking water with the opening of the Washington Aqueduct in 1864, using a water intake constructed at Great Falls. An average of approximately 486 million US gallons (1,840,000 m ) of water is withdrawn daily from the Potomac in the Washington area for water supply , providing about 78 percent of the region's total water usage, this amount includes approximately 80 percent of

5814-799: The Potomac from just above Harpers Ferry in West Virginia down to Little Falls, Maryland on the border between Maryland and Washington, DC. Along the way the following tributaries drain into the Potomac: Antietam Creek , Shenandoah River , Catoctin Creek (Virginia) , Catoctin Creek (Maryland) , Tuscarora Creek , Monocacy River , Little Monocacy River , Broad Run , Goose Creek , Broad Run , Horsepen Branch, Little Seneca Creek , Tenmile Creek , Great Seneca Creek , Old Sugarland Run, Muddy Branch , Nichols Run, Watts Branch , Limekiln Branch, Carroll Branch, Pond Run, Clarks Branch, Mine Run Branch, Difficult Run , Bullneck Run, Rock Run , Scott Run, Dead Run, Turkey Run, Cabin John Creek , Minnehaha Branch, and Little Falls Branch . The Tidal Potomac River lies below

5916-411: The Potomac, including bass , muskellunge , pike , walleye . The northern snakehead , an invasive species resembling the native bowfin , lamprey , and American eel , was first seen in 2004. Many species of sunfish are also present in the Potomac and its headwaters. Although rare, bull sharks can be found. After having been depressed for many decades, the river's population of American shad

6018-406: The South Branch continues north through the Monongahela National Forest to Upper Tract where it joins with three sizeable streams: Reeds Creek, Mill Run, and Deer Run. Between Big Mountain (2,582 ft) and Cave Mountain (2,821 ft), the South Branch bends around the Eagle Rock (1,483 ft) outcrop and continues its flow northward into Grant County . Into Grant, the South Branch follows

6120-413: The South Branch is located near Hightown in northern Highland County , Virginia. The river's two branches converge just east of Green Spring in Hampshire County , West Virginia, to form the Potomac. As it flows from its headwaters down to the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac traverses five geological provinces: the Appalachian Plateau , the Ridge and Valley , the Blue Ridge , the Piedmont Plateau , and

6222-399: The Supreme Court to investigate recommended the case be settled in favor of Virginia, citing the language in the 1785 Compact and the 1877 Award. On December 9, 2003, the Court agreed in a 7–2 decision. The original charters are silent as to which branch from the upper Potomac serves as the boundary, but this was settled by the 1785 Compact. When West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1863,

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6324-459: The Virginia side of the river, it was not completed until 1802. Financial troubles led to the closure of the canal in 1830. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal operated along the banks of the Potomac in Maryland from 1831 to 1924 and also connected Cumberland to Washington, D.C. This allowed freight to be transported around the rapids known as the Great Falls of the Potomac River , as well as many other, smaller rapids. Washington, D.C. began using

6426-432: The Virginia/West Virginia border into Pendleton County . The river then travels on a northeastern course along the western side of Jack Mountain (4,045 ft), followed by Sandy Ridge (2,297 ft) along U.S. Route 220 . North of the confluence of the South Branch with Smith Creek, the river flows along Town Mountain (2,848 ft) around Franklin at the junction of U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 33 . After Franklin,

6528-484: The battles of Antietam (September 17, 1862) and Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863). Confederate General Jubal Early crossed the river in July 1864 on his attempted raid on the nation's capital. The river not only divided the Union from the Confederacy, but also gave name to the Union's largest army, the Army of the Potomac . The Patowmack Canal was intended by George Washington to connect the Tidewater region near Georgetown with Cumberland , Maryland. Started in 1785 on

6630-473: The borders between Maryland and Washington, D.C. , on the left descending bank, and West Virginia and Virginia on the right descending bank. Except for a small portion of its headwaters in West Virginia, the North Branch Potomac River is considered part of Maryland to the low-water mark on the opposite bank. The South Branch Potomac River lies completely within the state of West Virginia except for its headwaters , which lie in Virginia. All navigable parts of

6732-451: The buildings. A smaller Confederate force was then sent to Piedmont , where they managed to burn the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's roundhouse, a workshop, and other machinery before they were turned away by Company A Sixth West Virginia Volunteers. Following the war, the state legislature sent the Hampshire County seat back to Romney and split this northern half away to form Mineral County in 1866, eventually settling on New Creek to become

6834-416: The catching near Fletcher's Boat House of a Striped Bass estimated to weigh 35 lb (16 kg) was seen as a further indicator of the continuing improvement in the health of the river. The average daily flow during the water years 1931–2018 was 11,498 cubic feet (325.6 m ) /s. The highest average daily flow ever recorded on the Potomac at Little Falls, Maryland (near Washington, D.C.),

6936-407: The central Appalachians region. Few roads or railroads cross the Allegheny Front, limiting transportation and communication between the regions to its east and west. Establishing passage of the front was key to the development of the U.S. railroad network during the second half of the 19th century, thereby connecting the Midwest by rail with the Atlantic seaboard . The Pennsylvania Railroad built

7038-408: The centuries, the town did not experience the 1990s economic boom in the same way as other parts of the country. Since losing much of its manufacturing base, the town found employment via health care, education, and service jobs. Potomac State College has continued to develop and is associated with West Virginia University. The Thomas R. Carskadon House and Mineral County Courthouse are listed on

7140-439: The city, where shopping centers, a hotel, the new high school, and the new hospital have been constructed in recent years. The main thoroughfares for the city are U.S. Route 220 and West Virginia Route 46 . U.S. Route 220 eventually intersects with U.S. Route 50 south of Keyser. At its north end, 220 crosses the Potomac via the newly reconstructed Memorial Bridge, heading toward Cumberland, Maryland. West Virginia Route 46 enters

7242-464: The city. The population density was 2,832.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,093.8/km ). There were 2,525 housing units at an average density of 1,315.1 units per square mile (507.8 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 88.4 percent White , 8.6 percent African American , 0.2 percent Native American , 0.4 percent Asian , 0.1 percent from other races , and 2.3 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people made up 1.4 percent of

7344-467: The county seat, with the courthouse completed in 1868. In 1874, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was looking for a place to set up division headquarters. Thus, on November 16, 1874, the town of Keyser was incorporated, named after William Keyser then the first vice president of the railroad, living in nearby Garrett County, Maryland , and in charge of the headquarters location division. In addition to

7446-474: The divide westward from the front, including the North Branch of the Potomac River west of Cumberland, Maryland , which originates well into the Appalachian Plateau at the Fairfax Stone, just south of Maryland's southwestern tip. No waterway crosses the front from east to west. The Allegheny Front begins in central Pennsylvania northwest of Lock Haven and extends southwest paralleling Bald Eagle Mountain and Brush Mountain to its east. The front continues to

7548-565: The drinking water consumed by the region's estimated 6.1 million residents. As a result of damaging floods in 1936 and 1937, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed the Potomac River basin reservoir projects , a series of dams that were intended to regulate the river and to provide a more reliable water supply. One dam was to be built at Little Falls, just north of Washington, backing its pool up to Great Falls. Just above Great Falls,

7650-499: The easily dissolved Greenbrier limestone , leaving areas of the hard Pottsville conglomerate as a caprock protecting softer rock strata immediately beneath. The Pottsville outcrops conspicuously in various more exposed areas along the front's eastern edge. Many of these clifftops offer broad scenic views, unlike most mountaintops within the generally forested Appalachians, and the more readily accessible are popular tourist destinations, including Dan's Rock on Dans Mountain in Maryland and

7752-505: The east side of Keyser from the direction of Fort Ashby, West Virginia , becoming Armstrong Street and then West Piedmont Street before continuing on to Piedmont, West Virginia. The type locality of the Silurian / Devonian Keyser Formation , a limestone , is located in a quarry and roadcut east of the town. Keyser is served by two primary highways. The most prominent of these is U.S. Route 220 . From Keyser, US 220 heads north, crosses

7854-593: The eastern side of Keyser (though the long mountain itself has higher peaks far south of Keyser). On Keyser's western edge is the Allegheny Front , rising 2,631 feet above sea level at this point along its range. The northern edge of Keyser is bounded by the North Branch of the Potomac River. Immediately across the river, in McCoole, Maryland , another portion of the New Creek Mountain ridge features

7956-699: The headquarters, the renamed town of Keyser received repair shops and a roundhouse, lifting employment and economic activity. Keyser played an early and prominent role in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 , attracting the attention of national news and the involvement of Federal authorities. Keyser's growth accelerated in the 1880s, with the end of the Long Depression , through the turn of the century. Infrastructure improvements attracted more industry, and Keyser's private sector began to diversify beyond its sometimes problematic dominant employer,

8058-418: The homes built in the 1960s and 1970s, known as Airport Addition, as it was once the site of a small airfield. An area sandwiched between Airport Addition and Potomac State College is known as "Radical Hill," which was the name of Thomas Carskadon's farm in the same location, so named by Carskadon because of his self-described radical opinions. The most recent commercial development for the city has been south of

8160-619: The mid-Atlantic power grid , enough to service about 66,000 homes and businesses. In December 2016, Save Our Allegheny Ridges, a group that opposes energy development on forested mountaintops, said in a news release that Invenergy plans to install a series of wind turbines atop Shaffer Mountain in Somerset County just a few miles north of the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch. Potomac River The Potomac River ( / p ə ˈ t oʊ m ə k / )

8262-506: The much larger Seneca Dam was proposed whose reservoir would extend to Harpers Ferry. Several other dams were proposed for the Potomac and its tributaries. Operational Non-Operational Planned, but never built When detailed studies were issued by the Corps in the 1950s, they met sustained opposition, led by U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas , resulting in the plans' abandonment. The only dam project that did get built

8364-583: The nation's capital was to be located on the river. The 1859 siege of Harper's Ferry at the river's confluence with the Shenandoah was a precursor to numerous epic battles of the American Civil War in and around the Potomac and its tributaries, such as the 1861 Battle of Ball's Bluff and the 1862 Battle of Shepherdstown . General Robert E. Lee crossed the river, thereby invading the North and threatening Washington, D.C., twice in campaigns climaxing in

8466-422: The population. Of the 2,224 households, 26.8 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6 percent were married couples living together, 14.8 percent had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9 percent had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.7 percent were non-families. Of all households, 37.5 percent were made up of individuals, and 18.5 percent had someone living alone who

8568-421: The population. Out of 2,241 households, 24.8 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3 percent were married couples living together, 13.3 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5 percent were non-families. 36.4 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

8670-541: The question of West Virginia's succession in title to the lands between the branches of the river was raised, as well as title to the river itself. Claims by Maryland to West Virginia land north of the South Branch (all of Mineral and Grant Counties and parts of Hampshire , Hardy , Tucker and Pendleton Counties) and by West Virginia to the Potomac's high-water mark were rejected by the Supreme Court in two separate decisions in 1910. A variety of fish inhabit

8772-677: The river bank-to-bank from the low-water mark on the Virginia side while permitting Virginia full riparian rights short of obstructing navigation. From 1957 to 1996, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) routinely issued permits applied for by Virginia entities concerning the use of the Potomac. However, in 1996 the MDE denied a permit submitted by the Fairfax County Water Authority to build

8874-502: The river has improved with a reduction in nutrient runoff, return of fish populations, and land protection along the river. As a result, the same group issued a grade of "B" for 2017 and 2018. In March 2019, the Potomac Riverkeeper Network launched a laboratory boat dubbed the "Sea Dog", which will be monitoring water quality in the Potomac and providing reports to the public on a weekly basis; in that same month,

8976-625: The river were designated as a National Recreation Trail in 2006, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated an 18-square-mile (47 km ) portion of the river in Charles County , Maryland, as the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary in 2019. The river has significant historical and political significance, as the nation's capital of Washington, D.C.

9078-628: The section of the Potomac River from the confluence of its North and South Branches through Opequon Creek near Shepherdstown, West Virginia . Along the way the following tributaries drain into the Potomac: North Branch Potomac River , South Branch Potomac River , Town Creek , Little Cacapon River , Sideling Hill Creek , Cacapon River , Sir Johns Run , Warm Spring Run , Tonoloway Creek , Fifteenmile Creek , Sleepy Creek , Cherry Run , Back Creek , Conococheague Creek , and Opequon Creek . This section covers

9180-537: The significant pollution control projects at the time was the expansion of the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant , which serves Washington and several surrounding communities. Enactment of the 1972 Clean Water Act led to construction or expansion of additional sewage treatment plants in the Potomac watershed. Controls on phosphorus , one of the principal contributors to eutrophication, were implemented in

9282-558: The southern end of Shavers Mountain ), but these mountains lack the Pottsville caps characteristic of the Allegheny Front. Allegheny Mountain's long, nearly level crest is generally about 4,000 to 4,200 feet (1,200 to 1,300 m) in elevation, with Paddy Knob reaching 4,477 feet (1,365 m). High points on Back Allegheny Mountain and adjacent Shavers Mountain include Gaudineer Knob (4,432 ft or 1,351 m) and Bald Knob (4,842 ft or 1,476 m); these two mountains form

9384-399: The southwest. The Allegheny Front extends for about 180 miles (290 km) southwesterly from south-central Pennsylvania through western Maryland , then divides the eastern panhandle of West Virginia from the rest of that state. The name "Allegheny Front" is applied to the escarpment throughout much of its extent, although it is little used in Maryland. The highest part of the crest of

9486-440: The thermals cease in late afternoon. Among the bird-banding stations and migratory bird observatories associated with this flyway are: In the Dolly Sods Wilderness of West Virginia, and southward toward Mount Porte Crayon, the front is topped for more than 10 miles (16 km) by a broad, nearly flat plateau with many wide areas of exposed bedrock along the edge of the escarpment's 2,800-to-3,200-foot (850 to 980 m) drop to

9588-590: The watermen of Virginia's Northern Neck. Being situated in an area rich in American history and American heritage has led to the Potomac being nicknamed "the Nation's River". George Washington , the first President of the United States , was born in, surveyed, and spent most of his life within, the Potomac basin. All of Washington, D.C., the nation's capital city , also lies within the watershed. The First United States Congress by act of July 16, 1790 stated that

9690-421: The western side of South Branch Mountain , 3,028 feet (923 m), the South Branch creates a series of bends and flows to the northeast by Springfield through Blue's Ford. After two additional horseshoe bends (meanders), the South Branch flows under the old Baltimore and Ohio Railroad mainline between Green Spring and South Branch Depot , and joins the North Branch to form the Potomac. This stretch encompasses

9792-621: The western side of Cave Mountain through the 20-mile (32 km) long Smoke Hole Canyon , until its confluence with the North Fork at Cabins , where it flows east to Petersburg . At Petersburg, the South Branch Valley Railroad begins, which parallels the river until its mouth at Green Spring . In its eastern course from Petersburg into Hardy County , the South Branch becomes more navigable allowing for canoes and smaller river vessels. The river splits and forms

9894-534: Was Jennings Randolph Lake on the North Branch. The Corps built a supplementary water intake for the Washington Aqueduct at Little Falls in 1959. In 1940 Congress passed a law authorizing the creation of an interstate compact to coordinate water quality management among states in the Potomac basin. Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia agreed to establish

9996-426: Was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.85. The population was spread out within the city: 20.0 percent under the age of 18, 13.5 percent from 18 to 24, 23.5 percent from 25 to 44, 22.0 percent from 45 to 64, and 21.0 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males. The median income for

10098-446: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the city was 36.1 years. 19.4 percent of residents were under the age of 18; 19 percent were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8 percent were from 25 to 44; 24.7 percent were from 45 to 64; and 17.1 percent were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2 percent male and 51.8 percent female. As of

10200-561: Was also known as "the Irish Settlement." Initially a peaceful village, Paddy Town came under repeated attacks by Native Americans after French and Indian forces defeated Major General Edward Braddock west of Paddy Town in 1755. Patrick McCarty's son, Edward McCarty, built an iron furnace and foundry and a salt well , near present-day Armstrong Street. In the early 19th century, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal)

10302-408: Was constructed alongside the Potomac, from Washington, DC , to Cumberland, Maryland . Originally planned to reach the Ohio River, the canal never reached Paddy Town; after being overtaken by the railroad, the canal stopped as far west as Cumberland. By 1844, Paddy Town fell into decline, which reversed when the town received an economic boost in 1852 when the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, in search of

10404-596: Was in March 1936 when it reached 426,000 cubic feet (12,100 m ) /s. The lowest average daily flow ever recorded at the same location was 601.0 cubic feet (17.02 m ) /s in September 1966 The highest crest of the Potomac ever registered at Little Falls was 28.10 ft, on March 19, 1936; however, the most damaging flood to affect Washington, DC and its metropolitan area was that of October 1942. For 400 years Maryland and Virginia have disputed control of

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