Horse Creek (Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Horse Creek |
|
|---|---|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Horse Creek headwaters 37°03′50″N 83°52′56″W / 37.06397°N 83.88226°W |
| 2nd source | Pigeon Roost Branch headwaters 37°07′40″N 83°51′00″W / 37.12770°N 83.84998°W |
| 3rd source | Crawfish Branch headwaters 37°05′39″N 83°47′34″W / 37.09423°N 83.79278°W |
| 4th source | House Branch headwaters 37°07′52″N 83°49′35″W / 37.13103°N 83.82630°W |
| River mouth | Goose Creek 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream from the mouth of Goose 800 feet (240 m) 37°08′20″N 83°45′35″W / 37.13877°N 83.75964°W |
Horse Creek is a small waterway, also called a creek, in Clay County, Kentucky. It is a tributary, meaning it flows into, the Goose Creek river.
The creek joins Goose Creek about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream from Manchester, Kentucky. This spot is about 800 feet (240 m) above sea level. For many years, the area around Horse Creek was important for coal mining. A special train track, called a spur line, was built along the creek by the Cumberland and Manchester Railway to help with mining.
Local stories say that Horse Creek got its name because a plant called "horseweed" grew very well in the creek valley.
Contents
Branches of Horse Creek
Horse Creek has several smaller streams, called branches, that flow into it. These branches are important parts of the creek's system.
- Here are some of its main branches:
- Muddy Gap Branch: This branch joins Horse Creek about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) upstream.
- Crawfish Branch: Located about 2 miles (3.2 km) upstream, this branch is about 2 miles (3.2 km) long.
- PawPaw Branch: This branch meets Horse Creek about 2.75 miles (4.43 km) upstream.
- Yager Branch: A smaller branch that flows into PawPaw Branch, about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) upstream from where PawPaw joins Horse Creek.
- Hurd Branch: This branch is about 3.15 miles (5.07 km) upstream.
- Webb Branch: Located about 3.75 miles (6.04 km) upstream.
- Johnson Branch: This branch joins Horse Creek about 4.25 miles (6.84 km) upstream.
- House Branch: Located about 4.75 miles (7.64 km) upstream.
- Pigeon Roost Branch: This is a longer branch, about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long, joining Horse Creek about 6.75 miles (10.86 km) upstream.
Towns and Post Offices
Several small communities and post offices were once located along Horse Creek and its branches. These places were often connected to the coal mining industry.
Siebert on Paw Paw Branch
The Paw Paw Branch was home to the town of Siebert. Siebert had a train station and a post office for a while.
Hima and Crawfish Branch
The Crawfish post office was set up near the mouth of Crawfish Branch in 1907. It was about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Manchester. Later, in 1920, the post office was renamed Hima. This new name came from the railway stop that was used to load coal from the mines.
Pigeon Roost Branch Post Office
The Pigeon Roost post office first opened in 1888 near the mouth of Pigeon Roost Branch. People say it was named because many pigeons used to gather there. Over the years, this post office moved to different spots along Horse Creek and Kentucky Route 80. Its name changed to Pigeonroost in 1894. It finally closed in 1974, with its last location being about 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream from Pigeon Roost Creek.
Coal Mining and the Environment
The land under Horse Creek is part of Kentucky's Breathitt Formation, which is known for its coal. Because of this, coal mining was a big activity in the area.
Environmental Impact
Mining operations can sometimes cause pollution. In 1969, scientists measured the water quality in Horse Creek and Goose Creek. Horse Creek's water was quite acidic, with a pH of 4.2. Goose Creek was also sometimes acidic. This acidity caused problems for fish in Goose Creek. Even in 1979, there were still reports of acidic water and sediment affecting the creeks downstream.
Railway for Coal Transport
To help transport the coal, the Cumberland and Manchester Railway built a special train track in 1918. This track included trestles, which are like bridges made of timber, to cross over parts of the land.
