French Creek, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
French Creek is an unincorporated community
in Upshur County
, West Virginia
, USA.
French Creek is 9½ miles south of the county seat, Buckhannon, West Virginia
, on West Virginia Route 20. It is home to the West Virginia State Wildlife Center
— formerly the "French Creek Game Farm" — a zoological park featuring native and introduced fauna
. Popular exhibits at the center include American bison
, North American river otters, black bear
s and mountain lions.
Presbyterians. Family names from these settlers include Gould, Young, Phillips, Burr, Sexton, Brooks, and Loomis. The community's first post office, only the second established in the county, opened in 1822. It was named for the village's principal stream, a tributary of the Buckhannon River
watershed. The village was also referred to as Meadeville, as it is located in the magisterial Meade District.
The French Creek Presbyterian Church
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Upshur County
Upshur County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,404 people, 8,972 households, and 6,352 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 10,751 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA.
French Creek is 9½ miles south of the county seat, Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,725 at the 2000 census. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival,...
, on West Virginia Route 20. It is home to the West Virginia State Wildlife Center
West Virginia State Wildlife Center
The West Virginia State Wildlife Center is a zoological park in French Creek, West Virginia. Operated by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, the Wildlife Center displays many of West Virginia's wildlife, including both native and introduced species...
— formerly the "French Creek Game Farm" — a zoological park featuring native and introduced fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. Popular exhibits at the center include American bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
, North American river otters, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s and mountain lions.
History
French Creek was settled in the early 19th century by a number of New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Presbyterians. Family names from these settlers include Gould, Young, Phillips, Burr, Sexton, Brooks, and Loomis. The community's first post office, only the second established in the county, opened in 1822. It was named for the village's principal stream, a tributary of the Buckhannon River
Buckhannon River
The Buckhannon River is a tributary of the Tygart Valley River in north-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
watershed. The village was also referred to as Meadeville, as it is located in the magisterial Meade District.
The French Creek Presbyterian Church
French Creek Presbyterian Church
French Creek Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian church located in French Creek, Upshur County, West Virginia. It was built in 1866, and is a simple rectangular frame building with a white weatherboard exterior. It measures 50 feet by 40 feet and has a gable roof topped by a belfry.It...
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974.
Notable natives
- Maurice Graham BrooksMaurice BrooksMaurice Graham Brooks was an American educator and naturalist whose name became synonymous with the natural history of Appalachia.-Biography:...
(1900–93), biologist, forester and celebrated authority on AppalachiaAppalachiaAppalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
n natural history.