Paw Paw Creek facts for kids
Paw Paw Creek is a 14.4-mile-long (23.2 km) stream in West Virginia. It is a tributary, which means it's a smaller stream that flows into a larger river. Paw Paw Creek eventually joins the Monongahela River. This creek gets its unique name from the pawpaw tree, which grows all along its banks.
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Where Paw Paw Creek Flows
Paw Paw Creek starts its journey in Monongalia County. The place where a river or stream begins is called its headwaters. For Paw Paw Creek, this is north of a town called Fairview.
Journey Through Towns
From its start, the creek flows south through Marion County. It passes through several towns. These include Fairview, Grays Flat, Grant Town, and Baxter. Finally, the creek reaches Rivesville. Here, it empties into the Monongahela River.
Smaller Streams Joining In
Along its path, Paw Paw Creek gets water from many smaller streams. These are also called tributaries, or sometimes "runs" or "licks." They add to the creek's flow. Some of these smaller streams include:
- Bennefield Prong
- Ann's Run
- Robinson Run
- Panther Lick
- Tarney Run
- Little Paw Paw
- Woods Run
Why "Paw Paw" Creek?
The name of the creek comes from a special tree. This tree is called the pawpaw tree (its scientific name is Asimina triloba). The pawpaw tree is native to the eastern United States. It's known for its unique, sweet fruit. Many of these pawpaw trees grow right along the banks of Paw Paw Creek. This is how the creek got its name!
