Loyalhanna Creek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Lake and Dam on Loyalhanna Creek in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania looking upriver toward the west-northwest
Show map of Pennsylvania Show map of the United States Location of Loyalhanna Creek mouth
Other name(s)	Tributary to Kiskiminetas River
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Westmoreland
City	Latrobe
Borough	Ligonier
Physical characteristics
Main source	Indian Creek divide about 2 miles northwest of Kregar, Pennsylvania 1,750 ft (530 m) 40°07′45″N 079°20′20″W / 40.12917°N 79.33889°W / 40.12917; -79.33889
River mouth	Kiskiminetas River Saltsburg, Pennsylvania 827 ft (252 m) 40°29′07″N 079°27′16″W / 40.48528°N 79.45444°W / 40.48528; -79.45444
Length	47.89 mi (77.07 km)
Basin features
Progression	northeast then northwest
River system	Allegheny River
Basin size	298.66 square miles (773.5 km2)
Tributaries	Left: Twomile Run Fourmile Run St. Clair Hollow Ninemile Run Monastery Run Unity Run Crabtree Creek Whitethorn Creek Serviceberry Run Getty Run Right: White Oak Run Phoebe Run Linn Run Rolling Rock Creek Laughlintown Run Zimmerman Run Mill Creek Coalpit Run Rock Hollow Miller Run Saxman Run Union Run Keystone Run
Waterbodies	Loyalhanna Lake

Loyalhanna Creek is a beautiful river about 50 miles (80 km) long. It flows through Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. This creek is a tributary of the Kiskiminetas River. It is a popular spot for canoeing and trout fishing.

What's in a Name?

The name of the creek comes from an old village. This village was called Layalhanning. It was an important meeting place for the Delaware Indian people. The village was located where Fort Ligonier is today, in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The Delaware people settled there around 1727. In their language, called Delaware, "Layalhanning" means "the middle stream." This is because "lawel" means "middle," "hanna" means "river or stream," and "ing" means "at the place of."

Other Names for the Creek

Over time, Loyalhanna Creek has been known by a few different names. These include:

• Leyelhanna Creek
• Loyal Hanna Creek

Where the Creek Flows

Loyalhanna Creek starts in a place called Laurel Ridge. This is in southeastern Westmoreland County, near Donegal. It first flows northeast, next to Chestnut Ridge.

About 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Ligonier, the creek turns northwest. It cuts through Chestnut Ridge and flows past the town of Latrobe. From Latrobe, it continues to flow northwest. It passes through the Loyalhanna Lake reservoir. Finally, it joins with the Conemaugh River to form the Kiskiminetas River at Saltsburg.

The Creek's Environment

Many years ago, the lower part of Loyalhanna Creek looked red. This was because of acid from local mines. Even today, some rocks in the area are still stained red.

However, things have changed for the better! People became more aware of protecting the environment. A special pond was built near St. Vincent College. This pond helps clean the water. It removes about 90 percent of the iron oxide that used to make the water red. This has made the creek much cleaner.

Local Stories and Legends

Some interesting stories are told about Loyalhanna Creek. One story involves a man named Sam Sherry from Wilpen. He claimed to have seen a Bigfoot while fishing at night along the creek. This happened on May 17, 1987. Sam Sherry became well-known among Bigfoot fans. He spent much of his life looking into these kinds of mysterious sightings in the area.

Images for kids

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  Course of Loyalhanna Creek in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

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  Watershed of Loyalhanna Creek in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania