Short Hill Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Short Hill Mountain |
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Short Hill Mountain as seen from across the Potomac River along the C&O Canal
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,442 ft (440 m) |
| Prominence | 642 ft (196 m) |
| Geography | |
 Short Hill Mountain
Location in Virginia
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| Location | Loudoun County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Parent range | Blue Ridge Mountains Appalachian Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Purcellville |
Short Hill Mountain is a long, narrow mountain in northwest Loudoun County, Virginia. It is part of the larger Blue Ridge Mountains range.
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Exploring Short Hill Mountain's Location
Short Hill Mountain stands tall in Loudoun County, Virginia. It rises sharply from the flat countryside near Purcellville. This mountain ridge stretches for about 3 miles (5 kilometers) to the northeast. Then, it dips down at a place called Hillsboro Gap. The North Fork of Catoctin Creek flows through this gap, and the town of Hillsboro is located there.
North of Hillsboro Gap, the ridge quickly gets taller. It continues for about 12 miles (19 kilometers), slowly gaining height. Finally, it drops steeply down to the Potomac River.
Signal Mountain and Neighboring Peaks
The southern part of Short Hill Mountain, south of Hillsboro Gap, is known as Signal Mountain. During the American Civil War, the Union Army used its 1,020-foot (311-meter) summit as a signaling station. North of the Potomac River, this same mountain ridge continues into Maryland and Pennsylvania. There, it is known as South Mountain.
Short Hill Mountain is about 4 miles (6 kilometers) east of the main Blue Ridge Mountain crest. The Blue Ridge forms the western border of Loudoun County. The valley between these two mountains is called Between the Hills. It includes small villages like Loudoun Heights and Neersville. To the east of Short Hill Mountain is the Catoctin Valley.
A small part of Short Hill Mountain, on its northwestern side near the Potomac River, is owned by the National Park Service. This helps protect the beautiful views for Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Most of the mountain is privately owned and remains undeveloped. The only road that crosses the mountain is Virginia State Route 9 at Hillsboro.
Understanding Short Hill Mountain's Geology
The rocks that make up Short Hill Mountain are very old. They formed during the late Proterozoic and early Paleozoic eras. The mountain is mostly made of a type of rock called metabasalt greenstone. This rock formed during the early Catoctin Formation. Mixed in with the greenstone are other rocks like metasedimentary phyllite, schist, and breccia. These rocks were formed later.
The rocks of Short Hill Mountain were originally connected to the rocks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They were both lifted up at the same time during an event called the Grenville Orogeny. Later, in the late Paleozoic era, the two ridges separated. This happened because of movement along the Short Hill Fault, which runs along the western side of the mountain. During another event called the Alleghenian Orogeny, the rocks were pushed westward to where they are today and lifted up again.
Short Hill Mountain's Project Office
North of Hillsboro, Short Hill Mountain is home to one of several Project Offices belonging to AT&T Corporation. These are underground facilities that were built in the 1960s. Their purpose was to provide backup communication services. This means if one communication system failed, another could take over. The Short Hill facility was updated in the late 2010s and is still in use today.
