^^■* >>1'W VoltK ST ATI-: MUSEUM 



great exception lo lliis cvcimcss of \]w uplaiK] plateau is notice- 

 able to the soutli wli.'iv ilic hi-h peaks of the Catskills rise 

 abniptly above tlie general level. ^ A ].iolonged inspection of 

 the couniiv Irom sn( li a vanta.iic ijoinl, impresses the beliolder 

 with the fact thai it is tlie i)latean or even nphmd whicli is 

 the dominant topographic featniv of the region, and that the 

 hills seen from the low ground, are merely tlie carved edges of 

 this plateau where it has been deeply incised by the three jirin- 

 cipal streams of the region, the Schoharie kill, the Cobleskill and 

 the Fox kill. The deeply sunken valleys of these streams are, 

 next to the plateau, the most prominent topographic element of 

 the landscape, and one might not inaptly emphasize this fact by 

 speaking of the region as a valley countiy ratlier than a hill 

 country. 



In the vicinity of ^fiddleburg and northward the average 

 altitude to which the hills rise is 2100 feet, though westward in 

 Petersburg mountain the elevation is as high as 2300 feet. 

 Northward from Middleburg the level falls to about 2000 feet 

 and still farther north to 1000, and then 1800 feet. The hills 

 immediately bordering the larger valleys rise to less than the 

 average higlit as might be expected. Thus West mountain is 

 1200 feet, Dann's mountain nearly 1400 feet and Sunset hill 

 1000 feet. Northward there is a gradual descent of the. upland 

 region, the average ujdand elevation being little over 1000 feet 

 in the Mohawk region. 



'One of the best localities for observing the features here desci'ibe<l is 

 on the suniniit of jNIobecranter hill, which rises to the south of Middleburg. 

 appiirently lienmiing in the valley on the south as seen from Scbobarie. 

 About three miles southwest of Middleburg, on the south side of the river, 

 a small stream has cut tlie northwestern face of Mobeganter bill, and here 

 at tlie sclioolbouse of district no. 11 a road Isranclics off from the main 

 Schoharie valley road and cliiubs tlie bill. K(>liiiid the bouse of Mr .Tobn 

 Vnmian. tbe siH-ond inhabited bouse on the road, is a bare knoll which 

 rises al)ove llMio feet A.T, From tbe summit of tbis knoll a splendid view 

 of the even upland, the Catskills and tbe deep Schoharie valley may be 

 obtained. Otber good views are found farther along on tJie road. Interest- 

 ing outcrops of HaniiltoTi. Sherburne and Oneonta strata are found along 

 this bigbway. 



