Margaret Creek
Encyclopedia
Margaret Creek is a stream
and state waterway in Athens
and Meigs
Counties, Ohio. Along with Monday
, Sunday
, and Federal Creeks, Margaret Creek is a principle tributary to the Hocking River
. The confluence with the Hocking river is on the west side of the city of Athens, Ohio
. The stream was named after Margaret Snowden, the first white woman settler in Athens County.
culture. Maize remains indicated a substantially agricultural economy and diet.
A number of emigrants arrived in Athens and in Alexander township in 1798. Among them were Joseph and Margaret Snowden; the creek was named in her honor. Another early pioneer of the Midwest
was Isaac Coe (1801-1873) who farmed next to Margaret Creek for a number of years. John and Moses Hewitt were noted for poling "broadhorns" up the Hocking River to Margaret Creek. In 1800, John Hewitt built the first watermill on Margaret's Creek, about a mile above its mouth.
In 1966, the Margaret’s Creek Watershed Conservancy District and the Division of Wildlife began acquiring land to build a dam in the mid-1960s. It was constructed between 1967 and 1968. The Margaret Creek Conservancy District Reservoir is located at 39.2508019 °N 82.1234181°W. The Margaret Creek Structure No. 6 was completed in 1967. Owned by Hocking Conservancy District, it is purposed for flood control and recreation. Lake Snowden
was created in 1970 after a branch of Margaret Creek was dammed for flood control. In addition to Lake Snowden, the Margaret Creek Conservancy lakes include Meeks Lake, Fox Lake, and two others.
into the valley at the mouth of Margaret Creek. The erosion of a large portion of the Athens Valley was probably due to river flow attempting to follow a line down to the Margaret Creek Valley. The Albany Valley followed southward up the Margaret Creek Valley. The Albany Valley is now the headwater
district for the Margaret Creek drainage that itself flows to the Hocking.
Margaret Creek is approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) in width. It drains the eastern and northeastern sections of Lee Township
.
There are few rock outcrops, and the hillsides are characterized by gentle slopes that are covered with a thick soil mantle. The minerals Hematite
and Siderite
are found at Margaret Creek.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
and state waterway in Athens
Athens County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,223 people, 22,501 households, and 12,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 24,901 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
and Meigs
Meigs County, Ohio
Meigs County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,770. Its county seat is Pomeroy, and it is named for Return J. Meigs, Jr., the 4th Governor of Ohio.-Geography:...
Counties, Ohio. Along with Monday
Monday Creek
Monday Creek is a tributary of the Hocking River, 27 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Hocking and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 116 square miles on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
, Sunday
Sunday Creek
Sunday Creek is a tributary of the Hocking River, 27.2 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Hocking and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining 139 square miles in a mainly rural area of the Allegheny Plateau region...
, and Federal Creeks, Margaret Creek is a principle tributary to the Hocking River
Hocking River
The Hocking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio in the United States.The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region...
. The confluence with the Hocking river is on the west side of the city of Athens, Ohio
Athens, Ohio
Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
. The stream was named after Margaret Snowden, the first white woman settler in Athens County.
History
During the period of 1–1000 AD, population shifts occurred toward the riverine and flood plain resources at Margaret Creek. The Allen Site on a terrace above Margaret Creek was the location of a Late Prehistoric period (AD 600-1300) sequence of villages including residential areas either side of the creek and a community pottery production locus. Radiocarbon dating of wood charcoal and botanical materials identified the settlement as predominantly associated with the late Late Woodland or emergent Fort AncientFort Ancient
Fort Ancient is a name for a Native American culture that flourished from 1000-1750 CE among a people who predominantly inhabited land along the Ohio River in areas of modern-day Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and Western West Virginia. They were a maize based agricultural...
culture. Maize remains indicated a substantially agricultural economy and diet.
A number of emigrants arrived in Athens and in Alexander township in 1798. Among them were Joseph and Margaret Snowden; the creek was named in her honor. Another early pioneer of the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
was Isaac Coe (1801-1873) who farmed next to Margaret Creek for a number of years. John and Moses Hewitt were noted for poling "broadhorns" up the Hocking River to Margaret Creek. In 1800, John Hewitt built the first watermill on Margaret's Creek, about a mile above its mouth.
In 1966, the Margaret’s Creek Watershed Conservancy District and the Division of Wildlife began acquiring land to build a dam in the mid-1960s. It was constructed between 1967 and 1968. The Margaret Creek Conservancy District Reservoir is located at 39.2508019 °N 82.1234181°W. The Margaret Creek Structure No. 6 was completed in 1967. Owned by Hocking Conservancy District, it is purposed for flood control and recreation. Lake Snowden
Lake Snowden
Lake Snowden is a 675 acre education and recreation park in southeast Ohio 6 miles southwest of Athens and 1 mile northeast of Albany. Lake Snowden is the largest of four lakes which form the Margaret Creek Conservancy District, covering about 136 acres with a maximum lake depth of 42 feet...
was created in 1970 after a branch of Margaret Creek was dammed for flood control. In addition to Lake Snowden, the Margaret Creek Conservancy lakes include Meeks Lake, Fox Lake, and two others.
Geography
The early geographic history of the region suggests that the Athens basin drained from the Athens colMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
into the valley at the mouth of Margaret Creek. The erosion of a large portion of the Athens Valley was probably due to river flow attempting to follow a line down to the Margaret Creek Valley. The Albany Valley followed southward up the Margaret Creek Valley. The Albany Valley is now the headwater
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
district for the Margaret Creek drainage that itself flows to the Hocking.
Margaret Creek is approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) in width. It drains the eastern and northeastern sections of Lee Township
Lee Township, Athens County, Ohio
Lee Township is one of the fourteen townships of Athens County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,531 people in the township, 1,747 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
.
There are few rock outcrops, and the hillsides are characterized by gentle slopes that are covered with a thick soil mantle. The minerals Hematite
Hematite
Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron oxide , one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmenite and corundum...
and Siderite
Siderite
Siderite is a mineral composed of iron carbonate FeCO3. It takes its name from the Greek word σίδηρος sideros, “iron”. It is a valuable iron mineral, since it is 48% iron and contains no sulfur or phosphorus...
are found at Margaret Creek.