Tilhance Creek facts for kids
Tilhance Creek is a stream in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It's about 10.4 miles (16.7 kilometers) long and flows into Back Creek. A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one. Berkeley County is located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, which is the easternmost part of the state.
Where Tilhance Creek Starts and Flows
Tilhance Creek begins as a spring (a natural flow of water from the ground) on the side of Third Hill Mountain in western Berkeley County. This mountain is about 2,172 feet (662 meters) tall.
From its start, the stream flows gently eastward down the forested mountain. Along the way, it's held back by a dam, which creates a small lake on a farm. After the lake, Tilhance Creek winds its way north. It's joined by several other small streams that also come from springs on Third Hill Mountain.
The creek then turns east again near the community of Baxter. It continues to wind northward, flowing along the western side of Ferrell Ridge. Here, two more streams, Whites Run and a small unnamed stream, join Tilhance Creek.
Just before the creek goes under West Virginia Route 9, another stream called Higgins Run flows into it. At this point, the creek splits around a small island. After passing under the road, Tilhance Creek flows past the community of Johnsontown, which is also known as Soho. From Johnsontown, Tilhance Creek winds through some rolling hills until it meets Back Creek near Allensville. This meeting point is called a confluence.
Fishing Fun in Tilhance Creek
Tilhance Creek is a great spot for fishing! The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources helps keep the creek full of fish. They add trout to the creek once in February and then every two weeks from March through May. This stocking happens near Johnsontown, right by the WV 9 bridge.
Other Names for Tilhance Creek
Over time, Tilhance Creek has been known by a few different names. The United States Board on Geographic Names officially decided on "Tilhance Creek" as the stream's name in 1901. Some of its past names include:
- Tilahanchee Creek
- Tilchances Branch
- Tilchancos Creek
- Tilehance Creek
- Tilhance Branch
- Tillehances Creek
