# Rock Creek (Monocacy River tributary)

Rock Creek is an 18.9-mile-long (30.4 km) tributary of the Monocacy River in south-central Pennsylvania and serves as the border between Cumberland and Mount Joy townships. Rock Creek was used by the Underground Railroad (at McAllister's Mill, "slaves would slosh through the water to throw off the tracking dogs that were pursuing them") and flows near several Gettysburg Battlefield sites, including Culp's Hill, the Benner Hill artillery location, and Barlow Knoll.
Rock Creek intersections, north-to-south :
| Intersection | Location/Description | Coordinates |
| Sources | On drainage divide with Conewago Creek Northernmost watershed point: Summit near Oak Hill Rd: Summit on Stone Jug Rd: Summit on Harrisburg Rd: | 39°55′17″N 77°11′21″W﻿ / ﻿39.92145°N 77.18907°W﻿ / 39.92145; -77.18907 |
| Leedy Rd | | 39°53′55″N 77°11′24″W﻿ / ﻿39.898669°N 77.190043°W﻿ / 39.898669; -77.190043 |
| Shriver's Corner Rd | | 39°53′38″N 77°11′40″W﻿ / ﻿39.894012°N 77.194464°W﻿ / 39.894012; -77.194464 |
| Keller Rd | | 39°53′18″N 77°11′57″W﻿ / ﻿39.888435°N 77.199297°W﻿ / 39.888435; -77.199297 |
| Branch | Crosses US 15 at milepost 13.2 north of Hunterstown Rd bridge | 39°52′14″N 77°12′50″W﻿ / ﻿39.87042°N 77.213781°W﻿ / 39.87042; -77.213781 |
| Branch | Extends beyond Shriver's Corner Road (at Goldenville Rd) to just beyond Rentzel Rd: 39°54′43″N 77°11′44″W﻿ / ﻿39.911909°N 77.19552°W﻿ / 39.911909; -77.19552 | 39°51′53″N 77°13′07″W﻿ / ﻿39.864656°N 77.21848°W﻿ / 39.864656; -77.21848 |
| Boyd's Schoolhouse Rd | Cumberland/Straban township border | 39°51′24″N 77°13′24″W﻿ / ﻿39.85667°N 77.22333°W﻿ / 39.85667; -77.22333 |
| Survey line | Borough line | |
| | "Site 59" on creek in Cumberland and Straban townships "intended for flood control". | |
| Blocher's Run | Flow from Marsh Creek (west) & Conewago Creek (north) triple pt on Oak Ridge:39°51′32″N 77°14′41″W﻿ / ﻿39.858792°N 77.24483°W﻿ / 39.858792; -77.24483} | 39°50′52″N 77°13′33″W﻿ / ﻿39.847665°N 77.225797°W﻿ / 39.847665; -77.225797 |
| US 15 Bus. | Harrisburg Road site of former 1846 covered bridge built by Joseph Clapsaddle near Barlow Knoll | 39°50′41″N 77°13′22″W﻿ / ﻿39.84472°N 77.22278°W﻿ / 39.84472; -77.22278 |
| Run | drainage from the east | |
| Run | Drainage along former site of Alm's house from Gettysburg College's Quarry Lake & Oak Ridge triple point (with Willoughby/Pitzer Runs) | 39°50′17″N 77°13′17″W﻿ / ﻿39.838126°N 77.221412°W﻿ / 39.838126; -77.221412 |
| Stevens Creek | | 39°50′13″N 77°13′17″W﻿ / ﻿39.836882°N 77.221527°W﻿ / 39.836882; -77.221527 |
| Island | Depicted on 1916 Gettysburg National Military Park map | |
| Run | (Depicted on battlefield map at right) | |
| Railroad | Early's Confederates burned the trestle on June 27, 1863 (rebuilt days later & in 1912) | |
| US 30 | 1807 3-arch stone bridge of 60 ft (18 m), 1853 covered bridge, 1919 Lincoln Highway bridge, replacement | 39°50′54″N 77°13′11″W﻿ / ﻿39.84833°N 77.21972°W﻿ / 39.84833; -77.21972 |
| PA 116 | Site of former 1853 90-foot covered bridge built by John Finly and 1932 concrete bridge. | 39°49′51″N 77°13′4″W﻿ / ﻿39.83083°N 77.21778°W﻿ / 39.83083; -77.21778 |
| Survey line | Borough line | |
| Winebrenner Run | | 39°49′47″N 77°13′05″W﻿ / ﻿39.829632°N 77.217922°W﻿ / 39.829632; -77.217922 |
| Rock Creek Ravine | Location noted in several battle records | 39°49′35″N 77°13′03″W﻿ / ﻿39.826369°N 77.217579°W﻿ / 39.826369; -77.217579 |
| Jones Bridge Run? | Flows north of Culp's Hill to confluence just upstream of island | 39°49′20″N 77°13′03″W﻿ / ﻿39.822117°N 77.217504°W﻿ / 39.822117; -77.217504 |
| Survey line | 1893 Warren survey line for Gettysburg Battlefield crossed creek | |
| Benner Run | Flows southeast of Benner's Hill artillery location ("Ladys Run" in 1886) | 39°49′11″N 77°12′50″W﻿ / ﻿39.819645°N 77.213974°W﻿ / 39.819645; -77.213974 |
| Ford | between Spangler Spring and farm (Z. Tawney during the battle) | |
| Spangler Spring Run | Drainage southward from Stevens Knoll | 39°48′51″N 77°12′54″W﻿ / ﻿39.814124°N 77.215079°W﻿ / 39.814124; -77.215079 |
| Guinn Run | | 39°48′39″N 77°12′52″W﻿ / ﻿39.81083°N 77.21444°W﻿ / 39.81083; -77.21444 |
| | Former site of McAllister's Mill dam (destroyed by 1870 flood) | |
| Run | (Depicted on battlefield map at right) | |
| Ford | 1889 road downstream of McAllister's Mill | |
| Baltimore Pike | 1802 turnpike bridge (north of PA 97 terminus) | 39°48′18″N 77°12′41″W﻿ / ﻿39.80500°N 77.21139°W﻿ / 39.80500; -77.21139 |
| Run | Flows under Baltimore Pike | 39°48′10″N 77°12′39″W﻿ / ﻿39.802645°N 77.210825°W﻿ / 39.802645; -77.210825 |
| Run | | 39°47′55″N 77°12′28″W﻿ / ﻿39.798701°N 77.207869°W﻿ / 39.798701; -77.207869 |
| Run | | 39°47′38″N 77°12′33″W﻿ / ﻿39.794015°N 77.209296°W﻿ / 39.794015; -77.209296 |
| US 15 | Near site of Battle of Gettysburg field hospital at George Bushman Farm:39°47′27″N 77°12′54″W﻿ / ﻿39.79083°N 77.21500°W﻿ / 39.79083; -77.21500 | |
| White Run | Drainage from Lake Heritage, Pennsylvania | 39°47′05″N 77°12′20″W﻿ / ﻿39.784651°N 77.205552°W﻿ / 39.784651; -77.205552 |
| Run | Drainage from Weikert Hill and Round Top, Pennsylvania | 39°46′52″N 77°12′42″W﻿ / ﻿39.781234°N 77.211699°W﻿ / 39.781234; -77.211699 |
| Wright Avenue Run | from Big Round Top | |
| Sachs Road | 1891 bridge | 39°46.950′N 77°12.387′W﻿ / ﻿39.782500°N 77.206450°W﻿ / 39.782500; -77.206450 |
| Little's Run | "Two Taverns Run" in 1901 when bridge was built at Little's Tavern headpoint near White Hall:39°47′25″N 77°06′46″W﻿ / ﻿39.79027°N 77.112651°W﻿ / 39.79027; -77.112651 | 39°46′45″N 77°12′45″W﻿ / ﻿39.77928°N 77.212579°W﻿ / 39.77928; -77.212579 |
| Soloman Road | 1895 steel Burr arch bridge "Lott's Bridge" at "Lott's fording" & 1977 ("Lott's Bridge") near Pine Bank Cemetery | 39°46.339′N 77°12.532′W﻿ / ﻿39.772317°N 77.208867°W﻿ / 39.772317; -77.208867 |
| Run | | 39°46′18″N 77°12′43″W﻿ / ﻿39.771634°N 77.212029°W﻿ / 39.771634; -77.212029 |
| Rock Creek Ford | Former ford just upstream of bend in creek with overhanging cliff | 39°46′17″N 77°13′09″W﻿ / ﻿39.771504°N 77.219124°W﻿ / 39.771504; -77.219124 |
| Distributary | Former headpoint of millrace | 39°45′30″N 77°13′31″W﻿ / ﻿39.758325°N 77.225368°W﻿ / 39.758325; -77.225368 |
| Dam ruins | Former 1798 Black's/Horner's Mill dam to provide head for millrace (rebuilt 1937)$^{:150}$ | 39°46′17″N 77°13′09″W﻿ / ﻿39.771504°N 77.219124°W﻿ / 39.771504; -77.219124 |
| Plum Run | Named "Rock" Run in 1821 | 39°45′32″N 77°13′37″W﻿ / ﻿39.758969°N 77.226806°W﻿ / 39.758969; -77.226806﻿ (mouth of Plum Run) |
| PA 134 | Taneytown Rd at Barlow: 1841 covered bridge, c. 1872 replacement, 1923 & 1989 concrete bridges | 39°45′24″N 77°13′53″W﻿ / ﻿39.75667°N 77.23139°W﻿ / 39.75667; -77.23139 |
| Run | Flow from southwest of Big Round Top | 39°45′16″N 77°13′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.754449°N 77.232642°W﻿ / 39.754449; -77.232642 |
| Run | | 39°45′15″N 77°13′58″W﻿ / ﻿39.754152°N 77.232771°W﻿ / 39.754152; -77.232771 |
| Cromer's Ford | Former ford for Chapel Road route south to Taneytown Rd (horse team, wagon, & driver swept away in 1875) | 39°45′14″N 77°13′57″W﻿ / ﻿39.75402°N 77.232599°W﻿ / 39.75402; -77.232599 |
| Run | Upstream of site of former ford at Benner Rd | 39°44′44″N 77°13′57″W﻿ / ﻿39.745606°N 77.232385°W﻿ / 39.745606; -77.232385 |
| Run | Near former intersection of Taneytown Rd & Basehoar-Roth Rd, and upstream of former Swetland Rd ford | 39°44′24″N 77°13′08″W﻿ / ﻿39.740095°N 77.218995°W﻿ / 39.740095; -77.218995 |
| Mason-Dixon Rd | ("Rock Creek Rd") site of 192-foot, single-span 1890 Burr arch bridge (east span collapsed January 5, 1946) | 39°43.800′N 77°13.819′W﻿ / ﻿39.730000°N 77.230317°W﻿ / 39.730000; -77.230317 |
| Lousy Run | Near The Links | 39°43′24″N 77°13′44″W﻿ / ﻿39.723445°N 77.228887°W﻿ / 39.723445; -77.228887 |
| Mouth | Confluence with Marsh Creek ("The Points") | 39°43′12.7″N 77°13′3.7″W﻿ / ﻿39.720194°N 77.217694°W﻿ / 39.720194; -77.217694 |

## Tributaries

* Blocher's Run is a stream which flows from Oak Ridge (triple watershed point at 39°51′32″N 77°14′41″W﻿ / ﻿39.858792°N 77.24483°W﻿ / 39.858792; -77.24483) on the Gettysburg Battlefield eastward to the Rock Creek (39°50′52″N 77°13′33″W﻿ / ﻿39.847665°N 77.225797°W﻿ / 39.847665; -77.225797) through and near areas of the Battle of Gettysburg, First Day. During the Battle of Gettysburg Confederate soldiers took cover behind the trees that lined the stream.
* Guinn Run is a stream flowing southeastward from Cemetery Hill past the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center to Rock Creek. The stream was bridged by the 1809 Gettysburg and Petersburg Turnpike Company and in the commemorative era by the United States War Department when Hunt and Slocum Avenues were built. A dam was built on Guinn Run to form a pond for Fantasyland, Pennsylvania, through the 1960s and 1970s.
* Spangler Spring Run is a stream which flows from near Culp's Hill to the Rock Creek through Gettysburg Battlefield areas of the Battle of Gettysburg, Second Day, to Rock Creek at 39°48′51″N 77°12′54″W﻿ / ﻿39.814124°N 77.215079°W﻿ / 39.814124; -77.215079.
* Stevens Run (Stevens Creek, Tiber) is a 2.2-mile-long (3.5 km) stream which is a tributary of Rock Creek flowing over the Gettysburg Battlefield and through the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Within the borough the stream is in a concrete channel, including a covered portion. From 1884 to 1942, the run was spanned by three bridges of the Round Top Branch railroad. Samuel Gettys' Tavern was located on the south side on the uphill slope of the now-named Stevens Run, and Rock Creek Church was approximately on the north bank of the now-named Carlisle Street and Stevens Run. In 1902, a new bridge was built over the Tiber on Chambersburg Street.
* Winebrenner Run is a stream in Gettysburg, flowing eastward to Rock Creek originally from a Gettys-Black Divide triple point (with Stevens Run & Guinn Run) near Zeigler's Grove. The Confederate military line along the stream was the starting point for the battle of East Cemetery Hill on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, and most of the upstream portion of the run was engineered c. 1961 into underground drainage to open flow at the school complex near the Culp Farm at East Confederate Avenue.
* White Run is a stream which flows along East Cavalry Field and is an eponym of the Rock Creek-White Run hospital complex. The run's mouth is at Rock Creek near the Trostle Farm along the Sachs Road, site of a hospital east of Round Top, Pennsylvania.