Upper Tract, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Upper Tract
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Corn fields with Upper Tract in the back
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 Upper Tract
Location in West Virginia
Upper Tract
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Pendleton |
| Elevation | 1,558 ft (475 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1555861 |
Upper Tract is a small place in Pendleton County, West Virginia, United States. It's called an unincorporated community because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
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About Upper Tract
Upper Tract is located along U.S. Highway 220. This community is special because it sits where two waterways meet. This meeting point is called a confluence. Here, Reeds Creek flows into the South Branch Potomac River.
The community has its own post office with a ZIP Code of 26866. This helps people send and receive mail.
How Upper Tract Got Its Name
The name "Upper Tract" comes from an old settlement nearby. This settlement was built by pioneers in the 1700s. Pioneers were some of the first people to explore and settle new lands.
Historic Buildings in Upper Tract
Upper Tract is home to two important historic buildings. These are the Cunningham-Hevener House and the Pendleton County Poor Farm. Both of these places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized for their special history and architecture. They are protected so people can learn about them for many years to come.
A Very Dry Place
Upper Tract is known for something quite unusual. It is one of the driest places in the eastern United States. This is because of something called a rain shadow. A rain shadow happens when tall mountains block rain clouds.
To the west of Upper Tract is Spruce Knob. This mountain creates a rain shadow over the community. This means that most of the rain falls on the other side of the mountain.
Between 1899 and 1930, Upper Tract received only about 28.82 inches (732 mm) of rain each year. In 1930, which was a very dry year, it got only 9.50 inches (241 mm) of rain. This was the lowest amount of rain ever recorded in the eastern U.S. It was even less rain than places like Tucson or San Diego received that year!
