Tye River
Encyclopedia
The Tye River is a 35.4 miles (57 km) tributary
of the James River
in central Virginia
in the United States
. Originating on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains
in Nelson County
, and fed by the Piney and Buffalo
rivers, by way of the James River it is part of the watershed
of the Chesapeake Bay
.
Although normally it is one of the more minor tributaries of the James River, in August 1969, the Tye River was at the center of one of Virginia's worst natural disasters. In the aftermath of Hurricane Camille
, which had devastated the Gulf Coast of Mississippi
a few days earlier, the remnants of the Category 5
hurricane stalled over mostly rural Nelson County, causing an unprecedented deluge of rain, mostly within a 3-hour period as people slept unaware of the threat. In the flash flooding and mudslides, entire communities were virtually wiped out, killing hundreds of Virginians, some of whose bodies were never found. Bridges, roads, railroads, and communications were severed for days, resulting in an estimated $140 million in property damages.
In Massies Mill
, one of the hardest hit communities in the Camille disaster, the Sierra Club
erected a memorial in a small park which is dedicated to those who lost their lives and families in 1969. In modern times, the Tye River has become one of the more scenic and popular recreational waterways in Virginia.
in northern Nelson County, Virginia
, on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains
. The North Fork rises near the Blue Ridge Parkway
(37.8861°N 79.1475 °W) at Tye River Gap and flows 8.7 miles (14 km) east, then southeast, to its confluence with the South Fork. The South Fork also rises along the Blue Ridge Parkway (37.8429°N 79.1530 °W), southwest of the village of Montebello
, and flows east 7.6 miles (12.2 km) to the North Fork at Nash.
From Nash, the Tye River proper flows generally southeastward through central Nelson County. The Piney River is a tributary of the Tye. Each forms a portion of Nelson's western border with Amherst County
. The Tye River enters the James River from the northwest near Norwood, adjacent to James River State Park
in Buckingham County.
Towns and communities along the Tye River include Tyro
, Massies Mill
, Roseland
and Tye River
, all in Nelson County.
, a short line railroad built in 1915. Originally, the area was heavily forested with chestnut
trees, which were harvested for lumber transported by the railroad. However, these were largely decimated by chestnut blight
in the 1920s. Later, the railroad was used to transport several types of minerals mined nearby in small quantities, but that activity ended by 1970. Passenger train service had ended in 1939, although State Route 56
was built nearby. In the 1980s, the tracks were abandoned.
On the night of August 20, 1969, the headwaters of the Tye River were near ground zero
during one of the worst natural disasters in Virginia history. A few days earlier, Hurricane Camille
had come ashore on the Gulf Coast near the mouth of the Mississippi River
as a Category 5
storm, one of only three to strike the US mainland during the 20th century. The hurricane flattened nearly everything along the coast of Mississippi
, and caused additional flooding and deaths inland. The storm had lost strength as it crossed hundreds of miles of land, and was downgraded by the National Weather Service
to tropical storm status as it moved northward along the eastern side of the Appalachian Mountains
and into Virginia. It still carried incredible amounts of moisture and contained sufficient strength and low pressure to pull in additional moisture.
As the remnants of the hurricane reached the area centered on Nelson County, the storm unexpectedly stalled on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains
. Mostly within only a three-hour period, it dumped a record quantity of 27 inches (685.8 mm) of rain. The rainfall was so heavy there were reports of birds drowning in trees and of survivors who had to cup their hands around mouth and nose in order to breathe through such a deluge.
As many people slept unaware, the ensuing flash floods and mudslides killed 153 people, 22 in Massies Mill alone. Across Nelson County, 133 bridges were washed out, while some entire communities were under water. The major flooding that occurred downstream cut off all communications between Richmond
and the Shenandoah Valley
. Waynesboro
on the South River
saw 8 feet (2.4 m) of water downtown, and Buena Vista
on the Maury River
had more than 5 feet (1.5 m).
Every bridge across the Tye River was severed, including the major highway bridge for U.S. Route 29
at the Amherst County line and the Southern Railway's main line
bridge near Norwood. Just below the latter crossing, the waters of the Tye River flowed into the James River. Joined by massive flooding from other tributaries, the James crested in Richmond at 28.6 feet (8.7 m) at the City Locks, swamping downtown areas and a substantial portion of South Richmond, which had formerly been the separate city of Manchester
.
In Nelson County, the bodies of some people were never found; other washed as much as 25 miles (40.2 km) downstream along the creeks and rivers. The entire county was virtually cut off, with many roads and virtually all bridges, telephone and electric service interrupted. Total damage in the state amounted to $140.8 million (1969 USD, $747 million 2005 USD).
Sections of the former Virginia Blue Ridge Railway along the Tye River are now part of the Blue Ridge Railway Trail
which was under development in the early 21st century. The trail will eventually connect the James River with the Blue Ridge Parkway
and the Appalachian Trail
.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
in central Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Originating on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
in Nelson County
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, and fed by the Piney and Buffalo
Buffalo River (Virginia)
The Buffalo River is a tributary of the Tye River in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is part of the James River watershed.It rises at the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Forks of Buffalo along U.S. Route 60 in Amherst County, where the North and South forks of the Buffalo River converge...
rivers, by way of the James River it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
.
Although normally it is one of the more minor tributaries of the James River, in August 1969, the Tye River was at the center of one of Virginia's worst natural disasters. In the aftermath of Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
, which had devastated the Gulf Coast of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
a few days earlier, the remnants of the Category 5
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
hurricane stalled over mostly rural Nelson County, causing an unprecedented deluge of rain, mostly within a 3-hour period as people slept unaware of the threat. In the flash flooding and mudslides, entire communities were virtually wiped out, killing hundreds of Virginians, some of whose bodies were never found. Bridges, roads, railroads, and communications were severed for days, resulting in an estimated $140 million in property damages.
In Massies Mill
Massies Mill, Virginia
Massies Mill is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It is located on State Route 56 adjacent to the headwaters of the Tye River...
, one of the hardest hit communities in the Camille disaster, the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
erected a memorial in a small park which is dedicated to those who lost their lives and families in 1969. In modern times, the Tye River has become one of the more scenic and popular recreational waterways in Virginia.
Course
The Tye River rises at the confluence of the North and South forks of the river(37.8571°N 79.0462 °W), at the village of NashNash, Virginia
Nash is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
in northern Nelson County, Virginia
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
. The North Fork rises near the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
(37.8861°N 79.1475 °W) at Tye River Gap and flows 8.7 miles (14 km) east, then southeast, to its confluence with the South Fork. The South Fork also rises along the Blue Ridge Parkway (37.8429°N 79.1530 °W), southwest of the village of Montebello
Montebello, Virginia
Montebello is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969.-References:*...
, and flows east 7.6 miles (12.2 km) to the North Fork at Nash.
From Nash, the Tye River proper flows generally southeastward through central Nelson County. The Piney River is a tributary of the Tye. Each forms a portion of Nelson's western border with Amherst County
Amherst County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,894 people, 11,941 households, and 8,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile . There were 12,958 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile...
. The Tye River enters the James River from the northwest near Norwood, adjacent to James River State Park
James River State Park
James River State Park is a state park located along the James River in Buckingham County, Virginia. Opened June 20, 1999, it preserves part of the route of the Kanawha Canal in addition to portions of the river....
in Buckingham County.
Towns and communities along the Tye River include Tyro
Tyro, Virginia
Tyro is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969.-References:*...
, Massies Mill
Massies Mill, Virginia
Massies Mill is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It is located on State Route 56 adjacent to the headwaters of the Tye River...
, Roseland
Roseland, Virginia
Roseland is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969....
and Tye River
Tye River, Virginia
Tye River is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
, all in Nelson County.
History
Much of the upper course of the Tye River was bordered by the Virginia Blue Ridge RailwayVirginia Blue Ridge Railway
The Virginia Blue Ridge Railway is a historic intrastate short line railroad that operated in central Virginia in the 20th century.The company was incorporated in 1914, and construction was started in 1915. The VBR extended from Tye River Depot in Nelson County, where it interchanged with the...
, a short line railroad built in 1915. Originally, the area was heavily forested with chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
trees, which were harvested for lumber transported by the railroad. However, these were largely decimated by chestnut blight
Chestnut blight
The pathogenic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica is a member of the ascomycota category, and is the main cause of chestnut blight, a devastating disease of the American chestnut tree that caused a mass extinction in the early 1900s of this once plentiful tree from its historic range in the eastern...
in the 1920s. Later, the railroad was used to transport several types of minerals mined nearby in small quantities, but that activity ended by 1970. Passenger train service had ended in 1939, although State Route 56
Virginia State Route 56
Virginia State Route 56 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 11 at Steeles Tavern east to US 60 near Buckingham. SR 56 is the main east–west highway of Nelson County...
was built nearby. In the 1980s, the tracks were abandoned.
On the night of August 20, 1969, the headwaters of the Tye River were near ground zero
Ground zero
The term ground zero describes the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation...
during one of the worst natural disasters in Virginia history. A few days earlier, Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
had come ashore on the Gulf Coast near the mouth of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
as a Category 5
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
storm, one of only three to strike the US mainland during the 20th century. The hurricane flattened nearly everything along the coast of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, and caused additional flooding and deaths inland. The storm had lost strength as it crossed hundreds of miles of land, and was downgraded by the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
to tropical storm status as it moved northward along the eastern side of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
and into Virginia. It still carried incredible amounts of moisture and contained sufficient strength and low pressure to pull in additional moisture.
As the remnants of the hurricane reached the area centered on Nelson County, the storm unexpectedly stalled on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
. Mostly within only a three-hour period, it dumped a record quantity of 27 inches (685.8 mm) of rain. The rainfall was so heavy there were reports of birds drowning in trees and of survivors who had to cup their hands around mouth and nose in order to breathe through such a deluge.
As many people slept unaware, the ensuing flash floods and mudslides killed 153 people, 22 in Massies Mill alone. Across Nelson County, 133 bridges were washed out, while some entire communities were under water. The major flooding that occurred downstream cut off all communications between Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. Waynesboro
Waynesboro, Virginia
Waynesboro, deriving its name from General Anthony Wayne, is an independent city surrounded by Augusta County in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 21,006 in 2010.....
on the South River
South River (South Fork Shenandoah River)
The South River is one of the two main tributaries of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. It begins south of Staunton, Virginia, and flows northward to Port Republic, where it merges with the North River to form the South Fork...
saw 8 feet (2.4 m) of water downtown, and Buena Vista
Buena Vista, Virginia
Buena Vista is an independent city located within the confines of Rockbridge County, Virginia. The population was 6,650 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Buena Vista with Rockbridge county for statistical purposes.-Geography:Buena Vista is located at...
on the Maury River
Maury River
The Maury River is a tributary of the James River in west-central Virginia in the United States. Via the James River, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.The Maury flows for its entire length in Rockbridge County...
had more than 5 feet (1.5 m).
Every bridge across the Tye River was severed, including the major highway bridge for U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
at the Amherst County line and the Southern Railway's main line
Main line (railway)
The Mainline or Main line of a railway is a track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which branch lines, yards, sidings and spurs are connected....
bridge near Norwood. Just below the latter crossing, the waters of the Tye River flowed into the James River. Joined by massive flooding from other tributaries, the James crested in Richmond at 28.6 feet (8.7 m) at the City Locks, swamping downtown areas and a substantial portion of South Richmond, which had formerly been the separate city of Manchester
Manchester, Virginia
Manchester, Virginia is a former independent city in Virginia in the United States. Prior to receiving independent status, it served as the county seat of Chesterfield County, between 1870 and 1876...
.
In Nelson County, the bodies of some people were never found; other washed as much as 25 miles (40.2 km) downstream along the creeks and rivers. The entire county was virtually cut off, with many roads and virtually all bridges, telephone and electric service interrupted. Total damage in the state amounted to $140.8 million (1969 USD, $747 million 2005 USD).
Fish species
The Tye River is home to dozens of species of fish and other aquatic life, including American eels, small and largemouth bass, and native mussels. A dam was removed in 2007 to help facilitate fish migration. According to an official of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, "Removing the dam will increase the passage possibilities, and hopefully the populations of all these species. It will also allow for increased access for anglers, paddlers and boaters."Recreation
Fishing and camping are popular activities along the Tye River. Sections of the Tye River are also popular for whitewater boating with canoes and kayaks. The rapids are rated Class I to Class II+. Depending upon water conditions some rapids on the Tye River can approach class III.Sections of the former Virginia Blue Ridge Railway along the Tye River are now part of the Blue Ridge Railway Trail
Blue Ridge Railway Trail
The Blue Ridge Railway Trail is a rail trail in Virginia.It is a gravel surface recreational trail used for biking, hiking and horseback riding and occupies an abandoned Virginia Blue Ridge Railway corridor....
which was under development in the early 21st century. The trail will eventually connect the James River with the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
and the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
.
Additional reading
- Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States: A Surprising History; Jamestown to the Present, By Rick Schwartz, Al Karr, Kevin Myatt, Blue Diamond Books, 2007, ISBN 0978628004
- Category 5: The Story of Camille, Lessons Unlearned from America's Most Violent Hurricane By Ernest Zebrowski, Judith A. Howard, University of Michigan Press, 2005 ISBN 0472115251