Pequea Creek

Pequea Creek (pronounced "peck-way") is a tributary of the Susquehanna River that runs for approximately 40 miles (65 km) from the eastern border of Lancaster County and Berks County, Pennsylvania to village of Pequea, about 5 miles (8 km) above the hydroelectric dam at Safe Harbor along the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

The name of the creek is Shawnee for "dust" or "ashes", referring to a clan that once dwelt at the mouth of the creek. [cite web | url=http://www.srbc.net/docs/IndianNamesDataChart.PDF | title=Indian Names Data Chart | publisher=Susquehanna River Basin Commission | accessdate = 2006-09-04]

The stream flows through a pastoral landscape farmed extensively by Pennsylvania German farmers, generally members of Mennonite, Amish, and German speaking Reformed churches. The Old Order Amish in this watershed were historically called "Peckwayers" to distinguish them from other Amish who lived along the Conestoga River watershed. The course of the stream is generally flat, though the last 2.5 miles (4 km) flow through a steeper, wooded gorge, rapidly changing from a placid stream to a twisting flume until reaching the last mile, which is backwater from the Susquehanna.

ee also

*List of Pennsylvania rivers

References

External links

* [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacahs/c3.jpgOld postcard view of Pequea Creek along trolley line near Colemanville, PA]
* [http://mrhyker.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/contr04-2dt.jpgPequea Creek rapids]
* [http://sio.midco.net/lysco/hendricks/williamonpequea.jpghistory of Conestoga, PA along the Pequea]