Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1912-09-16
POTOMAC RIVERS
ANCIENT HISTORY
Geological Survey Tells
Some Interesting Facts
About Formation Of
Potomac Valley

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Potomac gorge was not always. as ii
is today, one of the most beautiful
and picturesque of river valleys. The
United States geological survey has
recently published Il geologic folio de-
seribing about 400 square miles, in
Guiding a portion of the Potomac Val
ley-the areas known as the Paw Paw
and Hancock quadrangles. in Penn
sylvania, Maryland and West Virgil
MIA. This folio (No. 179,1 which was
written by George w Stose, contains
a most interesting account of the
gradual cutting down down by the
river of this deep gorge during thou
sands of years.
The area is located in a part of the
Potomac valley where the river winds
in great curves through deep gorge
with densely wooded slopes AS the
railroad traveller swings around these
fore they reverse and realizes that ii
takes three times as long to ride be
tween two points as II would to go in a
straight line he may wonder how the
river acquired such a course.
In a view from the tops of the
ridges, ii can be seen that many Of
the hilltops are fiat and of about the
same altitude, and that if the valleys
were filled UP they would form "A near.
ly level plain. This feature is also
excelently shown by the topographic
map which forms a part of the folio.
Mr.. Stose says that many thousand
years ago the Potomac flowed toward
the sea upon this plain, which at that
time was much lower IN altitude in
fact, so near the level of the sea that
the stream was very sluggish and
wandered about in it's valley, as is
thei custom of streams with low grade,
such as the Mississippi. Later, when
the interior of the continent was
somewhat elevated, the streams be-
came "rejueyenated" and cut down
their channels, first into the soft Diet
ritus which had accumulated in the
fiat valley and eventually into the
hard rocks beneath.
AS the continent still rose higher,
they cut deeper into the rocks, and as
a result, the Potomac is now deeply
intrcnched in these winding gorges.
One stream in the area, however, Is
making change by cutting off a
meander and taking short cut
through a hill, producing beautiful
cataract. This stream is shown in the
Photographic Illustrations of the folio,
as are also the remnants of the elo-
waited plain on the hilltops, once the
valley of the Potomac.
Other marvellous features which the
traveller may observe from the car
window in passing through this area
are the great rock folds. One arch of
rock that has been truncated by the
river and is visible from the train and
canal is of such interest to geologists
that it has attracted visitors from all
parts of the world and is illustrated
in most books on geology. Other
! folds not visible from the train but
Z readily accessible to those interested,
have the form Of great saw teeth ris
ing above the crest Of a hill All
these folds are well Illustrated in the
folio, These rock folds are the record
4 of the great Notwithstanding forces
4 which crushed and folded the rocks
as they were raised out of the sea
Many of the rocks are full of well
preserved fossil shells Some tina;
have long, banded, futed wings arc
called butterflies by the natives How
did they get into the rocks and what
do they mean?
These fossils we're shells of living
creatures that inhabited the sands and
muds of sea that covered this region
long ages ago. All the rocks now at
y the surface of this area are hardened
sediments that were deposited on the