Nimishillen Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nimishillen Creek |
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West Branch Nimishillen Creek in a city park in Canton in 2006
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Canton, Ohio, confluence of East and Middle Branches 40°48′24″N 81°21′14″W / 40.80667°N 81.35389°W |
| River mouth | Sandy Creek in Tuscarawas County, Ohio 938 ft (286 m) |
| Length | 24.5 mi (39.4 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 187 sq mi (480 km2) |
Nimishillen Creek is a stream in northeastern Ohio, United States. It flows for about 24.5 miles (39.4 km). A stream like this that flows into a larger river is called a tributary. Nimishillen Creek is a tributary of Sandy Creek.
This creek is part of a huge watershed that eventually leads to the Mississippi River. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a single river or lake. Nimishillen Creek's watershed covers 187 square miles (484 km²). This area includes the city of Canton.
Nimishillen Creek flows through parts of the Allegheny Plateau. This is a large, high area of land. Some parts of the creek's path were shaped by glaciers long ago (in the north). Other parts were not touched by glaciers (in the south). The creek runs through Stark and Tuscarawas Counties.
The creek starts in Canton where two smaller streams meet. These are the East Branch Nimishillen Creek and the Middle Branch Nimishillen Creek. The East Branch is about 10.4 miles (16.7 km) long and flows through Louisville. The Middle Branch is longer, at 16.6 miles (26.6 km). Soon after these two meet, another stream joins them. This is the West Branch Nimishillen Creek, which is nine miles (14.5 km) long. It flows through North Canton and Canton. From Canton, Nimishillen Creek flows south. It passes East Sparta before joining Sandy Creek in northern Tuscarawas County.
What's in a Name?
The name "Nimishillen" has an interesting history. One story says it comes from a Native American language. In that language, it might have meant "black alder". Black alder is a type of plant.
Over time, the creek has been called by different names. The Geographic Names Information System lists some of these old names. They include Memenshehelas Creek and Nine Shilling Creek.
