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Silver Creek (Indiana)
Encyclopedia
Silver Creek is a stream
in southern Indiana
in the United States
. It drains a watershed of 97442 acres (394.3 km²). The creek rises in Scott County
and flows 38 miles (61.2 km), dropping 168 feet (51.2 m), before flowing into the Ohio River
.
It forms the boundary between Clark
and Floyd
counties. The stream was called Silver Creek by the time it was part of land granted to George Rogers Clark
, who lived in a log cabin near the creek's mouth. It was named Silver Creek due to a rumor that silver
treasure was hidden by creek, and that silver ore could be found.
At the mouth of the creek was the first cement
operation in Indiana, at Beach's Mill in 1830.
The creek was the site of Shirt-Tail Bend, a popular dueling location for Kentuckians
, as the practice was illegal in their state. The Silver Creek banks were the site at least four duels, including most famously one between Humphrey Marshall and Henry Clay
on January 19, 1809. Both men suffered slight wounds. Marshall opposed Clay's proposal that all Kentucky legislators should wear domestic homespun rather than English broadcloth
.
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...
in southern Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains a watershed of 97442 acres (394.3 km²). The creek rises in Scott County
Scott County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,960 people, 8,832 households, and 6,491 families residing in the county. The population density was 121 people per square mile . There were 9,737 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile...
and flows 38 miles (61.2 km), dropping 168 feet (51.2 m), before flowing into the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
It forms the boundary between Clark
Clark County, Indiana
Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana, located directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. At the 2010 Census, the population was 110,232. The county seat is Jeffersonville. Clarksville is also a major city in the county...
and Floyd
Floyd County, Indiana
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 74,578. The county seat is New Albany. Floyd County is the county with the second smallest land area in the entire state...
counties. The stream was called Silver Creek by the time it was part of land granted to George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
, who lived in a log cabin near the creek's mouth. It was named Silver Creek due to a rumor that silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
treasure was hidden by creek, and that silver ore could be found.
At the mouth of the creek was the first cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
operation in Indiana, at Beach's Mill in 1830.
The creek was the site of Shirt-Tail Bend, a popular dueling location for Kentuckians
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, as the practice was illegal in their state. The Silver Creek banks were the site at least four duels, including most famously one between Humphrey Marshall and Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
on January 19, 1809. Both men suffered slight wounds. Marshall opposed Clay's proposal that all Kentucky legislators should wear domestic homespun rather than English broadcloth
Broadcloth
Broadcloth is a dense woollen cloth. Modern broadcloth can be composed of cotton, silk, or polyester, but traditionally broadcloth was made solely of wool. The dense weave lends sturdiness to the material....
.