Meathouse Fork

The Meathouse Fork is a tributary of Middle Island Creek, 19.7 miles (31.7 km) long,[5] in north-central West Virginia in the United States. Via Middle Island Creek and the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 64.6 square miles (167 km2)[6] in a rural region on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau.

Meathouse Fork
Meathouse Fork south of Smithburg, West Virginia
A map of the Meathouse Fork and its watershed
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyDoddridge
Physical characteristics
SourceBig Isaac Creek
  locationsoutheast of Miletus
  coordinates39.2191667°N 80.5761111°W / 39.2191667; -80.5761111[1]
  length2 miles (3.2 km)
  elevation1,190 ft (360 m)[2]
2nd sourceLaurel Run
  locationnortheast of Big Isaac
  coordinates39.2105556°N 80.5327778°W / 39.2105556; -80.5327778[3]
  length1.6 miles (2.6 km)
  elevation1,154 ft (352 m)[2]
Source confluence 
  locationwest of Big Isaac
  coordinates39.2000893°N 80.5556517°W / 39.2000893; -80.5556517[4]
  elevation935 ft (285 m)[2]
MouthMiddle Island Creek
  location
Smithburg
  coordinates
39.2842512°N 80.7281587°W / 39.2842512; -80.7281587[4]
  elevation
794 ft (242 m)[4]
Length19.7 mi (31.7 km)
Basin size64.6 sq mi (167 km2)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  leftToms Fork
Hydrologic Unit Codes050302010401, 050302010403 (USGS)

Geography

The Meathouse Fork's entire course and watershed are in southern and central Doddridge County. It is formed in southeastern Doddridge County by the confluence of Big Isaac Creek,[1] 2 miles (3.2 km) long,[5] which rises approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the community of Miletus and flows southeastward; and Laurel Run,[3] 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long,[5] which rises approximately 0.75 miles (1.21 km) northeast of the community of Big Isaac and flows westward, through Big Isaac. From this confluence, approximately 0.9 miles (1.4 km) west of Big Isaac, the Meathouse Fork flows generally northwestward, through the unincorporated communities of Avon, New Milton, Sugar Camp, and Blandville, to Smithburg, where it joins Buckeye Creek to form Middle Island Creek.[7][8]

The Meathouse Fork collects its largest tributary, Toms Fork, at Sugar Camp. In the vicinity of Sugar Camp and Blandville, it is paralleled by West Virginia Route 18.[7][8]

History

The origin of the name of this watershed and community, given by the earliest white settlers in the 1820s, was detailed by a local historian a century later:

On this spot of ground hunters from other sections who came to this community to hunt deer and bear built a log cabin in which to store their meat until they could move it to their homes in other and, sometimes, remote sections. From this meat house, the branch of Middle Island Creek which extends from near Smithburg to Big Isaac took the name of Meat House Fork.[9]

See also

References

  1. Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Big Isaac Creek (Feature ID #1535869)". Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  2. The National Map elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  3. Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Laurel Run (Feature ID #1541516)". Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  4. Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Meathouse Fork (Feature ID #1543103)". Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. "West Virginia, Little Muskingum-Middle Island Watershed". Archived from the original on 2013-07-15. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  6. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset, area data for Meathouse Fork watershed, 12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes 050302010401 and 050302010403. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2013-07-31
  7. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 2013-07-31
  8. West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Me.: DeLorme. 1997. pp. 24, 35. ISBN 0-89933-246-3.
  9. Randolph, Roy F. (1926), "History Of New Milton Community"; Doddridge County Agricultural Extension Division.
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