Whitewater Gorge Park
Three branches of the Whitewater River converge in a spectacular
geological gorge formed during the last ice age. The gorge provides
miles of hiking trails with scenic vistas, picnic areas, vertical
cliffs and the beauty of Thistlethwaite Falls.
A Brief History of the Whitewater River Gorge As the last Ice
Age drew to a close and the Wisconsin glaciers began melting back
from the Wayne County area eighteen to twenty thousand years ago,
one huge lobe of ice lingered in the valley of the East Fork of the
Whitewater River. Geologists tell us this vast mound of ice
produced a raging flood of water as it melted over a period of
years. The flood was so powerful in summer that along one of its
paths it cut a narrow channel scores of feet deep into the ancient
bedrock. Today that channel is known as the Whitewater River
Gorge.
Whitewater Gorge Area - Click for larger Map (21262 bytes)In the
course of many thousands of years, the Gorge was partially refilled
with sand, gravel, and clay washed into it by the river. Great
forests grew up on the land released from the grip of the glaciers.
Groups belonging to the obscure Eastern Woodland Societies lived
near the Whitewater River from around 7000 B.C. to 700 A.D. and
probably used the Gorge as a hunting and fishing ground as did the
modern Indians after them.
Gorge Significant in Area Settlement White pioneers, impressed
by the rugged beauty of the Gorge, its fertile soil, abundant
timber, building stone, and flowing springs, began settling east of
the River in 1806. Many of the first settlers were members of the
Society of Friends from North Carolina, searching for a new home in
a land not blighted by slavery. Many German immigrants, reaching
the Whitewater Valley via Cincinnati, also settled in Richmond
early in the nineteenth century. Because of the main stream of
pioneers flowed from the east and the Gorge was a significant
obstacle in their path, all of early Richmond lay east of the
Gorge. Even today more of the city lies east of the Gorge than
West.
At first the Whitewater Gorge was essential to Richmond's growth
as a source of water power and raw materials, and later, as a site
for important industries. But technology spawned new sources of
energy, new materials, and new industries, and the Gorge was left
behind by a city rushing toward the future.
To log your find
1 You will need to go to the (EXACT) GPS Coordinates for your
picture of you and your GPSer. Your picture shold look like the one
that dougsmiley posted.
2 By rule of thumb send me how deep the gorge is.
THIS EARTHCACHE WAS PLACED BY A
PLATINUM EARTHCACHE MASTER