User:LarryMorseDCOhio/WMA

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The Wills Mountain Anticline is a geological structure that extends from south-central Pennsylvania[1] through Maryland[citation needed] and West Virginia[citation needed] into Virginia.[citation needed] In this anticline, various geological strata (kinds of rock) are folded into an arch several miles (kilometers) wide. The Wills Mountain Anticline is one of the many large and small synclines and anticlines in the folded and faulted Appalachian Ridge and Valley region of eastern North America. The Anticline's consistent topography through an approximately ###### by #### - mile four-state region provides a unifying theme for the landscapes and land uses within this roughly (#### sq mi )) area.

West-facing Tuscarora sandstone cliff near the crest of the Wills Mountain Anticline, on the west side of North Fork Mountain in West Virginia.
Judy Gap, West Virginia, along U.S. 33 immediately west of North Fork Mountain, viewed from the northeast, showing nearly vertical Tuscarora outcrops on the western limb of the Wills Mountain Anticline, with the Appalachian Plateau in the background.

The central crest of the anticline is generally represented by various quartzite-capped mountain ridges separated by water gaps, including ***. The steep, erosion-resistant quartzite outer limbs of the anticline often form prominent outcrops, such as Seneca Rocks in West Virginia. Between the anticline's central ridges and the outer quartzite limbs, softer, more easily eroded limestones and shales underlie various valleys and lower hills, including such places as the Germany Valley and the Smoke Hole in West Virginia. The limestone areas include a number of sizeable caves or caverns, such as the Smoke Hole Caverns and the Hellhole in West Virginia.

Several geological features of the Wills Mountain Anticline support ecological habitats unusual in the Appalachians, including quartzite ledges and cliffs, limestone outcrops, and caves. Various distinctive kinds of plants, invertebrate animals, and bats occur in some of these places.

The landscapes along the Wills Mountain Anticline are generally little-developed forests and farmland, often scenic and important to regional tourism, especially in eastern West Virginia. Few roads or railroads cross the anticline, usually in the water gaps, with U.S. 33's steep crossing of North Fork Mountain in West Virginia a dramatic exception.

Geology[edit]

Diagram of an anticline.

Formation[edit]

The Wills Mountain Anticline formed during the Alleghenian Orogeny (or Appalachian Orogeny) in Pennsylvanian and Permian geological time, when the ancient Iapetus (Proto-Atlantic) Ocean between North America (then part of Laurasia) and Africa (then part of Gondwana, or Gondwanaland) closed due to plate tectonics to produce the single supercontinent called Pangaea, which later (in the Triassic) broke apart as the modern Atlantic Ocean formed between North and South America, to the west, and Europe and Africa to the east, a process still continuing.

Bedrock strata[edit]

While the particular components vary along the length of the structure, the Wills Mountain Anticline typically includes the Silurian-aged Tuscarora quartzite[2] (or sandstone) as its uppermost unit ****any younger strata also included? ****, with various older ***AGE** shales and limestones beneath (or inward of the anticline's lateral Tuscarora limbs).

A typical section, %%%%details%%%% in West Virginia,[citation needed] includes (from youngest to oldest):

  • x
  • x
  • x
  • x
  • x
  • x
  • x


Tuscarora quartzite[edit]

The Tuscarora quartzite is the most erosion-resistant of the various strata included in the anticline, ???with only the Oriskany Sandstone also having significant resistance to erosion in the region's wet climate. The Tuscarora is a fine-grained rock, composed of silica-cemented quartz sand, formed from erosion of the ancient Taconic Mountains to the east and was later metamorphosed from sandstone into quartzite by heat and compression during the Alleghenian Orogeny. The Tuscarora erodes slowly into nearly pure quartz sand that is readily dispersed by water or wind, but can accumulate in rock crevices, or even form tiny dunelets on such broad, exposed, open-vegetated nearly flat Tuscarora outcrops as the summit of Panther Knob in West Virginia.

Such sand deposits on cliffs and mountaintops provide a distinctive dry, well-drained plant habitat unusual in Appalachia, with many occurences of various regionally endemic or highly disjunct species. For example, Tuscarora outcrops on North Fork Mountain and adjacent near-vertical Tuscarora cliffs such as Seneca Rocks support the regional endemics

Michaux's saxifrage (Saxifraga michauxii),[3], rusty woodsia (Woodsia ilvensis),[4], variable sedge (Carex polymorpha)

Appalachian oak fern (Gymnocarpium appalachianum) and Allegheny onion (Allium alleghaniense)

as well as significantly disjunct occurrences of the generally boreal &&&&&;

silvery nailwort (Paronychia argyrocoma)

bristly rose (Rosa acicularis),[5]

the midwestern &&&&&;

%%%any?%%%

and beach heather (Hudsonia tomentosa),[3][6] characteristic of sand dunes along the Atlantic Coast and in the Great Lakes region.

[3]

[6]

[4]

[5]

Other strata[edit]

&&&&

Two unusual plant habitats are supported by some of these other geological strata within the Wills Mountain Anticline.

Some of the shale outcrops, particularly where steeply sloped and eroding, form small Appalachian shale barrens with distinctive, open vegetation and various unusual plants. However, the numerous shale barrens further east in the Ridge and Valley, particularly those on the Brallier shale, are larger, far more diverse, and richer in endemics.[3]

Apart from the Shenandoah Valley and other regions within the Great Appalachian Valley, Appalachia has relatively few limestone outcrops, since in most cases limestone erodes so quickly in the region's ample rainfall that it becomes valley floors covered with alluvium. Limestone is exposed within the Wills Mountain Anticline in two distinct settings, one being actual limestone hills such as Cave Mountain in West Virginia's Smoke Hole, and the other being thin, uplifted limestone strata adjacent to resistant Tuscarora quartzite ridges in various water gaps or similar settings.

Several unusual species of plants are known from these limestone outcrops, including the regional endemics Canby's mountain-lover (Paxistima canbyi) and the Smoke Hole bergamot (Monarda fistulosa var. brevis)

as well as such unusual or disjunct plants as

northern white cedar or arbor-vitae (Thuja occidentalis)

Ceanothus herbaceus /// try N'Serve or TNC.

The numerous caves in the limestone valleys are important to many rare species of invertebrate animals, as well as several species of bats. $$$ Hellhole - high elev? $$$

Topographic features[edit]

Oblique air photo of the Cumberland Narrows in Maryland, facing northeast, showing a water gap through the central ridge of the Wills Mountain Anticline, with Wills Mountain to the north of the gap, and Haystack Mountain to the south

In a typical section, from west to east, the Wills Mountain Anticline includes:

  • Steeply rising (or plunging) lateral Tuscarora sandstone outcrops on the anticline's western limb
  • Valleys and lower hills underlain by various shales and limestones
  • A central ridge, generally capped by a nearly level slab of the Tuscarora quartzite, with shales and perhaps limestones outcropping on the ridge's slopes.
  • More valleys and lower hills underlain by various shales and limestones
  • More steeply rising (or plunging) lateral Tuscarora sandstone outcrops on the anticline's eastern limb

Water gaps -- $$$$$ Typically arched quartzite, exposed shales & limestones, quartzite talus, rapidly flowing flood-prone river or steam

$$$$ Doubling in W.Va. $$$

North-south elevation increase[edit]

The central ridge of the Wills Mountain Anticline increases steadily in elevation, with minor exceptions, from its northern beginnings in Pennsylvania to its last appearance at the southern end of North Fork Mountain in West Virginia. Its first high point, Kinton Knob on Wills Mountain, just south of the Juniata River, is about 2,540 feet (770 m) high, and its last high point, Panther Knob on North Fork Mountain in West Virginia, is 4,508 feet (1,374 m) high. Beyond Panther Knob, no central-ridge Tuscarora capstone remains, and the axis of the anticline is represented only by lower ridges and hills of softer underlying bedrock.

The height of the tops of higher points on the much-fragmented east and west Tuscarora limbs of the anticline show a less pronounced elevation trend, since these outcrops are much more susceptible to erosion. Once these limbs become more continuous, forming Lantz ??? Ruleman??? Monterey??? mountains in Virginia, &&&&& trend significant? How far south?????


Geography[edit]

The Wills Mountain Anticline extends from ##### in south-central Pennsylvania to $$$$$$$ in western Virginia.

Mountains, valleys, and other places included[edit]

Central ridges[edit]

Although a continuous structure geologically, the Wills Mountain Anticline is breached by several water gaps, breaking the anticline's central Tuscarora-capped ridge into several parts that have received separate names. From north to south, these include:

Lateral structures[edit]

Seneca Rocks, in West Virginia, a dramatic near-vertical Tuscarora outcrop along the western limb of the Wills Mountain Anticline.

Among the numerous other geographic features within the anticline's structure but east or west of the central ridge are:





Water gaps[edit]

Cumberland Narrows in Maryland, the water gap cut by Wills Creek between Haystack Mountain (left) and Wills Mountain (right)

The central ridge of the Wills Mountain Anticline is cut by several water gaps or similar features, including:

  • The Narrows, cut by Wills Creek west of Cumberland, Maryland, separating Wills Mountain (to the north) from Haystack Mountain (to the south).

Potomac River

Keyser [water or wind gap?]

North Fork Gap - Petersburg

&&& South end &&&


Land use[edit]

Most of the anticline's various central ridges are steep and rugged, generally forested except for small areas of open vegetation on some of the ridgetops, and often managed for timber production or as recreational, hunting, or natural areas. Some of the larger or more important managed lands on these central ridges of the Wills Mountain Anticline include:

Pennsylvania State Game Lands No. 48.




The hills and valleys adjacent to the central ridges are often farmed or sometimes settled, although substantial areas there are also forested.

Limestone quarrying on small or larger scales is common within the lateral valleys of the Wills Mountain Anticline, including a large quarry in West Virginia's Germany Valley.

Cultural features[edit]

Towns and settlements[edit]

Only a few towns or settlements are within the limits of the Wills Mountain Anticline, usually in water gaps or in the lateral valleys.. These include:

  • In Pennsylvania:
    • Wolfsburg, on the northern toe of Wills Mountain, with settlement extending along the Juniata River into the water gap through which it crosses that mountain.


  • In Maryland:


  • In West Virginia:


  • In Virginia:



Highways and railroads[edit]

Due to its steep topography, few roads or railroads cross the Wills Mountain Anticline's central ridges, or the related high, nearly continuous lateral ridges in Virginia. On the other hand, the long, straight Ridge-and-Valley valleys along both sides of the Anticline's central ridge are generally served by various good, nearly level roads for most of the Anticline's length.

Nemacolin's Path, a prehistoric Native American trail, crossed the Anticline through the Cumberland Narrows west of Cumberland, Maryland. This footpath was improved into the Cumberland Road (later known as the National Road), then into U.S. 40 (now Alternate U.S. 40, and other prehistoric trade and war trails presumably crossed the Anticline at convenient places.

The first road to cross the central ridge was the still-extant colonial-era Braddock Road that had been opened by the Ohio Company in 1751, used by Gen. Edward Braddock during the French and Indian War. This crossed over Haystack Mountain west of Cumberland, Maryland, rather than passing through the then-treacherous Narrows.

Two railroads cross the Anticline. The CSX Railroad's line between Baltimore/Washington and Pittsburg passes through the Cumberland Narows west of Cumberland, Maryland; the track here was formerly part of the Western Maryland Railroad, and is used by the steam- and diesel-powered excursion trains of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The &&& B&O %%%

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, intended to reach the Ohio River from Chesapeake Bay tidewater on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., would have crossed the Wills Mountain Anticline, but it was completed only as far west as Cumberland, Maryland, just to the east.

Crossings[edit]
  • In Pennsylvania:


  • In Maryland:

I-68

B&O RR - Which side?

  • In West Virginia:


  • In Virginia:


Parallel roads, eastern side[edit]
  • In Pennsylvania:


  • In Maryland:


  • In West Virginia:


  • In Virginia:



Parallel roads, western side[edit]
  • In Pennsylvania:


  • In Maryland:


  • In West Virginia:


  • In Virginia:



Historical sites[edit]

Due to the sparse settlement of the most of the lands within the Wills Mountain Anticline, the region has relatively few historical sites. Among these are:


Rohrbaugh Cabin

Pike Knob fire tower


Scenery and tourism[edit]

The various rugged and pastoral landscapes within the area of the Wills Mountain Anticline offer diverse scenic views, many accessible by roads but some reachable only by hiking. Various high points on the Allegheny Front, immediately west, such as Spruce Knob and Dolly Sods in West Virginia, provide other views of the Anticline's features, as do highways parallelling the Anticline (such as parts of U.S. 220 and West Virginia's SR 28 or crossing it.

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, between Maryland and Frostburg in Maryland, crosses the Wills Mountain Anticline through the Cumberland Narrows, then provides views back eastward as the route climbs the Allegheny Front.

Pendleton County in West Virginia is particularly rich in scenic features related to the Wills Mountain Anticline, including North Fork Mountain, near-vertical quartzite outcrops such as Seneca Rocks, Champe Rocks, and Judy Rocks. There are two commercial caverns in the county, Seneca Caverns and Smoke Hole Caverns, and numerous other non-commercial caves and caverns. Rock climbers consider Seneca Rocks to be one of the most challenging climbs in the eastern United States; two rock-climbing schools and various guide services are offered nearby to this dramatic cliff face. The Nelson Rocks Preserve near Judy Gap offers a via ferrata climbing trail, one of the few in the United States.

Restaurants, stores, gas stations, motels, and similar facilities are offered in the Anticline area along nearby roads and in various adjacent towns such as Bedford, Pennsylvania; Cumberland, Maryland; Keyser, Petersburg and Cabins, Seneca Rocks, and Franklin in West Virginia; and Monterey, Virginia. The Monongahela National Forest operates a visitor center at Seneca Rocks in West Virgina.


Art and folklore[edit]

The various geological features of the Wills Mountain Anticline have on occasion been subjects of art and folklore. Numerous scenic views have also been captured photographically.

Art[edit]

%%%% Strother engraving %%%%

Folklore[edit]

%%%% Lovers Leap %%%%

%%%% Seneca Rocks %%%%


References[edit]

  1. ^ Van Diver, Bradford B. (1990). Roadside Geology of Pennsylvania. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press. pp. viii+ 352.
  2. ^ Formerly called the White Medina sandstone in West Virginia
  3. ^ a b c d Strausbaugh, P.D., and E.L. Core ([1978]). Flora of West Virginia (Second Edition). Morgantown,West Virginia: Seneca Books, Inc. pp. xl + 1079. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b The Nature Conservancy (Undated). Pike Knob Preserve, Central Appalachians. The Nature Conservancy. p. 2. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  5. ^ a b "North Fork Mountain: Pike Knob and Panther Knob Preserves". Where we work. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  6. ^ a b Harmon, Paul J. (1981). Ridge Top Flora of North Fork Mountain, Grant and Pendleton Counties, West Virginia (MS Thesis). Carbondale: University of Illinois.

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