WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGIC.VL SURVEY. 



237 



north. Its area, as given by the United State Geological Sur- 

 vey, is 858 square miles or 549,120 acres. 



Topography. 



Although the highest mountain in the state is in Pendle- 

 ton, the county of highest general elevation is Pocahontas. This 

 county can hardly have an average elevation of less than 3,000 

 feet above the sea."* The eastern line follows the crest of the 

 Alleghany mountains for a distance of more than 50 miles. 

 Westward from this elevated border the surface descends by a 

 succession of parallel ridges and stream channels to the valley 

 of the Greenbrier river. Lying close to the western side of 

 this river, and at an elevation of about 300 feet above it, are to 

 be found in some places almost level areas of upland. Little 

 Levels in the vicinity of Hillsboro is the principal one of these 

 and, with its broad fields of grain and grass and with its border 

 of wooded mountains^ forms one of tlie most fertile and beauti- 

 ful spots in West Virginia. The western side of the county is 

 occupied by high mountains which are less regular in their 

 trend than those on the east. The names and elevations of a 

 few of the higher mountain peaks of the county are given 



below : 



Bald knob 4,800 feet. 



Spruce knob 4,750 feet. 



Mace knob 4,700 feet. 



Big Spruce knob 4,652 feet. 



Bear mountain 4,600 feet. 



EUeber ridge 4,600 feet. 



Briery knob 4,534 feet . 



Locust knob 4,392 feet. 



Blue knob 4,368 feet. 



Little Spruce knob 4,360 feet. 



Gibson knob 4,360 feet. 



Buck knob 4,356 feet. 



Colaw knob 4,214 feet. 



Bayards knob 4,150 feet. 



*""West Virginia Agricultural Resources and Possibilities," p. 9 



