TOPOGRAPHY. 11 
On the northwest is the mountain belt of the Appalachian system, made up of sedimen- 
tary and accompanying igneous rocks, much folded, metamorphosed, and dissected. For 
most of the distance the Blue Ridge is the easternmost range of this mountain zone. 
Skirting the eastern flank of the Appalachians Iks the Piedmont Plateau. Although com- 
posed of older rocks, it is structurally similar to the mountains; but it is now so worn down 
by erosion that, viewed broadly, its surface is a plain which bevels the edges of the upturned 
strata composing it. 
On the southeast the Piedmont rocks are concealed by the overlying unconsolidated 
sediments of the Coastal Plain. 
The particular area which is the subject of this study forms a part of the Piedmont 
Plateau and extends on the east approximately to the boundary of the Coastal Plain. 
Its geological structure conforms with that of the mountains and of the other portions of the 
Piedmont belt; the rocks are much folded, usually dip at large angles, and almost invariably 
have a northeasterly strike. 
RELIEF. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Standing upon any slight elevation the observer remarks the generally flat character of 
the country. The level sky line is almost unbroken until the foot of the Blue Ridg< is 
reached. This fact is indicated by the map (PI. I), on which this area is represented almost, 
entirely between the 500- and 1,000-foot contour lines. For this reason features of relief 
which would otherwise be of small significance become conspicuous and are often assigned 
an undue importance. Almost every elevation which may be seen at a distance of more 
than a mile or two is dignified by the name mountain. 
The most noticeable topographic feature is a chain of disconnected ridges extending 
southwest ward across Lincoln, Gaston, and Cherokee counties and part of Cleveland and 
York counties. Crowders, Kings, Whitaker; Draytonville,^ and Thickety mountains are 
the culminations of the ridges of this chain, which is commonly designated as the Kings 
Mountain Range, both because of the prominence of that elevation and because of the 
historical significance b attached to the name. 
Although rising only a few hundred feet above the surrounding plain, these hills 
form noticeable landmarks for miles around. Kings Mountain, which is the highest, 
is said to be about 1,700 feet above sea level, and its summit is probably 600 to 700 feet 
above the plateau at its base. Crowders Mountain is somewhat lower, and the other hills 
are much less prominent. All these hills rise rather abruptly from the plain, and some of 
them, as Kings Mountain, are bounded on one or more sides by steep cliffs. 
With a few unimportant exceptions, such as Henry Knob and Nannii s Mountain, in York 
County, the topography is otherwise diversified only by depressions below the general 
level of the plain. These depressions are the valleys of present or past streams and give a 
rolling or undulating surface to the country. The monotony of the ordinary plain is thus 
relieved and a pleasing aspect given to the landscape. 
DEVELOPMENT. 
The prevalent explanation of the origin of the Piedmont topography may be summarized 
as follows: It is supposed that the Piedmont Plateau was once a mountain region, much 
like the present Appalachians. During long intervals, in which this region was subjected 
to erosion, very little elevation or depression took place. This constant stand of the land 
gave the rivers opportunity to lower the surface gradually toward sea level. By a contin- 
uation of this process the greater portion of the region was degraded to a very slightly 
undulating plain, called a peneplain, which sloped gently toward the ocean. The streams 
a Sometimes called Gelky's Gelkey's, or Gilkey's. 
& A stone shaft marks the site of the battle of Kings Mountain, one of the decisive engagements of 
the Revolutionary war, fought October 7, 1780. 
