Paint Creek (West Virginia)

Paint Creek
Paint Creek in Ash Branch Park in Kanawha County
Country United States
State West Virginia
Counties Raleigh, Fayette, Kanawha
Source
 - location northern Raleigh County
 - elevation 2,322 ft (708 m) [1]
 - coordinates 37°48′32″N 81°16′10″W / 37.80889°N 81.26944°W / 37.80889; -81.26944 [2]
Mouth Kanawha River
 - location Hansford
 - elevation 604 ft (184 m) [2]
 - coordinates 38°12′34″N 81°23′30″W / 38.20944°N 81.39167°W / 38.20944; -81.39167Coordinates: 38°12′34″N 81°23′30″W / 38.20944°N 81.39167°W / 38.20944; -81.39167 [2]
Length 42.1 mi (68 km)
Basin 123 sq mi (319 km2)
A map of Paint Creek and its watershed

Paint Creek is a 42.1-mile (67.8 km)[3] tributary of the Kanawha River in southern West Virginia. Paint Creek is part of the Mississippi River watershed via the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers and drains an area of 123 square miles (320 km2).[4]

Paint Creek rises in north central Raleigh County and flows along County Route 7 north through Sweeneyburg and Maynor. At Maynor, the creek continues north along the West Virginia Turnpike.[5] The creek follows the turnpike north into Fayette County, where it runs through the communities of Willis Branch, Pax, Long Branch, and Lively before curving to the northwest. Past Mossy and East Kingston, the creek briefly turns away from the highway before following it through Westerly, Milburn, Coalfield, Mahan, and Collinsdale.[6] The creek then enters Kanawha County, where it heads north through Burnwell, Greencastle, and Whittaker. At Standard, Paint Creek Road turns away from the turnpike to follow County Route 83 (Paint Creek Road) north through Livingston and Gallagher.[7] The creek flows north through Hollygrove before reaching its mouth at the Kanawha River in Hansford.[8]

Paint Creek was named for the fact Indians blazed trees using natural paint.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The National Map elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  2. 1 2 3 "Paint Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  3. ↑ "West Virginia, Upper Kanawha Watershed". Watershed Assessment, Tracking & Environmental Results. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Upper Kanawha River". Watershed Atlas Project. West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  5. ↑ Raleigh County, West Virginia General Highway Map (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. 2011. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  6. ↑ Fayette County, West Virginia General Highway Map (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. 2011. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  7. ↑ Kanawha County, West Virginia General Highway Map (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. 2011. p. 5. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  8. ↑ Kanawha County, West Virginia General Highway Map (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. 2011. p. 5. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  9. ↑ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 469.
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