250 



CONDITIONS BY COUNTIES. 



the lower course of Cheat, the streams flow through deep 

 canons with rugged and precipitous walls. 



The Cheat river, which flows north and northwest dividing 

 the county into two almost equal parts, is the principal stream. 

 Its chief tributaries from the east are Big Sandy creek, Muddy 

 creek. Roaring creek, Saltlick creek and Wolf creek. Those 

 from the west ar^ Bull run, Laurel run. Greens run, ]Morgan 

 run, Lick run, Pringle run and Buffalo creek. A large area in 

 the southwest is drained by the headwaters of Deckers creek, a 

 tributary of the ]\Ionongahela emptying at Morgantown, and 

 by Threefork and Sandy creeks emptying into Tygarts Yalley, 

 the former at Grafton, the latter about 8 miles above. Rhine 

 creek, SnoAvy creek. Muddy creek and Saltblock run, all tribu- 

 taries of the Toughiogheny, drain a belt of land on the east. 



Original Timber Conditions. 



Preston was once an immense forest containing practically 

 all the common hardwoods on its lower lands, and areas of 

 spruce, white pine and hemlock along its cold mountain streams 

 and uplands. The spruce grew principally on Snowy creek, 

 the head of Saltlick creek, and in the vicinity of Cranesville. 

 White pine was found in limited quantities near Cranesville 

 and on Threefork creek. Pitch pine was once common on 

 Snaggy mountain east of Terra Alta. Chestnut, poplar, white 

 oak, red oak, chestnut oak, ash and hickory may be mentioned 

 as the principal hardwoods. 



When the first settlers came into the Preston county area 

 there were open glades scattered here and there in the wilder- 

 ness that attracted their attention. There were the glades at 

 Cranesville, at Reedsville and in the vicinity of Terra Alta, as 

 well as those on Sandy creek and in several other places. Wash- 

 ington speaks of the Sandy creek glades as having a ''pretty 

 appearance, resembling cultivated fields and improved meadows 

 at a distance.'^ "Here fire, storm, heat or cold had brushed 

 away the forests and laurel thickets, and in their place waved 

 long grasses and wild flowers on the highland mountain sum- 

 mits. For scores of miles not a tree was to be seen save where 

 little rivulets traced a course toward the Ohio or the Potomac. 



