- Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern
Virginia in theUnited States , approximately 184 mi (294 km) in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from theBlue Ridge Mountains in the west across the Piedmont toChesapeake Bay south of the Potomac. Due to its continued significance as an obstacle to north-south movements, it effectively functioned as the Eastern Theater boundary between the "North" (the Union) and the "South" (theConfederate States of America ) during the Civil War. An important river in U.S. history, it was the site of early settlements in theVirginia Colony and was later at the center of major theater of battle in theAmerican Civil War . It drains an area of 2,848 sq mi (7405 km²), approximately 6% of the state of Virginia. Much of the watershed is rural and forested but has seen growing development in recent decades with the southward expansion of the Virginia suburbs ofWashington, D.C. Description
The Rappahannock rises in the mountains at Chester Gap in Fauquier County. It flows southeast past Remington and through Fredericksburg. Southeast of Fredericksburg it widens into a brackish
tidal estuary approximately 50 mi (80 km) long, flowing past Tappahannock on the southern shore. It enters Chesapeake Bay approximately 15 mi (24 km) south of the mouth of the Potomac between Windmill Point andStingray Point , approximately 50 mi (80 km) east of Richmond. Theestuary of the river south of theNorthern Neck peninsula provides foroyster andcrab fishing.It is joined by the
Rapidan River from the west approximately 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Fredericksburg.Above the fall line in Fredericksburg the Rappahannock provides fine opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. Most of the rapids are class I and II, but near Remington there are some rapids that are considered class III.
History
The name of the river comes from an Algonquian language word "lappihanne" (also noted as "toppehannock"), meaning "river of quick, rising water" or "where the tide ebbs and flows." This name was taken from the name given to it by the local native population the
Rappahannock Tribe .The settlement of the river valley began in the
1710s with the urging of GovernorAlexander Spotswood . The James River had been surveyed up to its fall line, and Spotswood encouraged settlement in a separate river valley. In1714 he encouraged settlement by immigrants from the Palatinate andSwitzerland on lands he controlled nearGermanna in order to extract theiron ore deposits of the region.During the American Civil War the river provided a recurring barrier and defensive line for the movement of troops. It was an especially difficult barrier for Union troops in attempts to advance into southern Virginia. Control of the river changed hands multiple times during the course of the war. Significant battles fought along the river include the
Battle of Fredericksburg and theBattle of Rappahannock Station , fought in1862 . The defensive line of the river was finally circumvented byUlysses S. Grant in theOverland Campaign of1864 , resulting in the final Union victory in the war. In some 18th and 19th century documents, including some Civil War records, the Rappahannock River was also referred to as "Hedgeman's River" [ [http://www.talkingproud.us/VirginiaRappaR.html Rappanhannock River ] ] ; a 1736-1737 survey showed the Rappahannock above the mouth of the Rapidan as "Cannon", and further upstream as "Hedgeman's River." [ [http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/oran1.htm A History of Orange County, Virginia by W. W. Scott ] ]ee also
*
List of Virginia rivers References
External links
* [http://www.riverfriends.org Friends of the Rappahannock]
* [http://www.rcc.va.nacdnet.org/rappwatershed.htm Rappahannock River watershed]
* [http://refuges.fws.gov/profiles/index.cfm?id=51622 Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge]
* [http://www.dcr.state.va.us/sw/rrtrib.htm Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation: Rappahannock Tributary Strategy]
* [http://www.virginiaplaces.org/settleland/settlerappa.html Early Settlement on the Rappahannock]
* [http://www.state.va.us/dcr/parks/bellisle.htm Belle Isle State Park]
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