Hughes River (West Virginia)

Hughes River
River
Hughes River at Freeport
Country United States
State West Virginia
Counties Ritchie, Wirt
Source South Fork Hughes River [1]
 - location Doddridge County, WV
 - elevation 1,074 ft (327 m) [2]
 - coordinates 39°09′46″N 80°44′44″W / 39.16278°N 80.74556°W / 39.16278; -80.74556
Secondary source North Fork Hughes River [3]
 - location Ritchie County, WV
 - elevation 1,098 ft (335 m) [4]
 - coordinates 39°23′14″N 80°55′59″W / 39.38722°N 80.93306°W / 39.38722; -80.93306
Source confluence
 - location Cairo, WV
 - elevation 614 ft (187 m) [5]
 - coordinates 39°07′05″N 81°16′38″W / 39.11806°N 81.27722°W / 39.11806; -81.27722
Mouth Little Kanawha River [6]
 - location Newark, WV
 - elevation 584 ft (178 m)
 - coordinates 39°08′24″N 81°23′43″W / 39.14000°N 81.39528°W / 39.14000; -81.39528Coordinates: 39°08′24″N 81°23′43″W / 39.14000°N 81.39528°W / 39.14000; -81.39528
Length 18 mi (29 km) [7]
The North Fork of the Hughes River in Cairo in 2006
The North Fork of the Hughes River as viewed from the North Bend Rail Trail east of Cairo in 2006

The Hughes River is a tributary of the Little Kanawha River in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Little Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. As measured from the confluence of its north and south forks, the Hughes is 18 mi (29 km) long,[7] and drains a rural area of the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau.[8]

The river is believed to have been discovered and named by the 18th-century settler Jesse Hughes,[9] but it may also have been named for others of the same surname residing in the area during roughly the same time period.[10] According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as the Junius River.[6]

Course

The Hughes flows for most of its length through Ritchie County as two streams:

The Hughes' north and south forks join near the community of Cisco, and the Hughes River then flows for 18 mi (29 km) through northern Wirt County and meets the Little Kanawha River near the community of Newark,[8] 12 mi (19 km) southeast of Parkersburg.[12]

Varieties of fish in the Hughes River include muskellunge; rock, smallmouth and spotted bass; flathead and channel catfish; and several species of sunfish.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "South Fork Hughes River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  2. ↑ "USGS Elevation Query: South Fork Hughes River Source". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  3. 1 2 "North Fork Hughes River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  4. ↑ "USGS Elevation Query: North Fork Hughes River Source". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  5. ↑ "USGS Elevation Query: Hughes River Source Confluence". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  6. 1 2 "Hughes River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  7. 1 2 Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for Hughes River
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 DeLorme (1997). West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-246-3.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Bartlett, Larry. 2006. "Hughes River." The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Ken Sullivan, editor. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Humanities Council. ISBN 0-9778498-0-5.
  10. ↑ Dean, William H. 2006. "Jesse Hughes." The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Ken Sullivan, editor. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Humanities Council. ISBN 0-9778498-0-5.
  11. ↑ North Bend Rail Trail official website, from West Virginia State Parks
  12. ↑ Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for Little Kanawha River
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