Twelvepole Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
accessed May 26, 2011

river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

located in

Wayne County, West Virginia Wayne County is the westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 38,982. Its county seat is Wayne, West Virginia, Wayne. The county was fou ...

, United States. It is part of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

watershed Watershed may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage) Music * Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...

, by way of the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

. It is alternately known as Twelve Pole Creek.

Course

Twelvepole Creek rises in northern Mingo County before flowing north through Wayne County. The

headwaters The headwater of a river or stream is the geographical point of its beginning, specifically where surface runoff water begins to accumulate into a flowing channel of water. A river or stream into which one or many tributary rivers or streams flo ...

of the East Fork of the Twelvepole are dammed to form

East Lynn Lake East Lynn Lake is a reservoir on the East Fork Twelvepole Creek in Wayne County, West Virginia. The lake is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, as part of a series of flood control projects for the Ohio River ba ...

. The East Fork of the river then flows north through East Lynn, Wayne, and Lavalette. The West Fork of the Twelvepole flows north through

Dunlow, West Virginia Dunlow is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in southern Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne County, West Virginia, United States, on Twelvepole Creek. Originally a small settlement called Twelvepole, it was greatly expanded after ent ...

and joins the East Fork at the town of Wayne. The river then flows north again before draining into the

just east of Ceredo.

Origin of name

Twelvepole Creek received its name from early explorers. The group supposedly included a young

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

. Traveling the Ohio River, they measured the mouth of the creek where it joined the Ohio in terms of

poles Pole or poles may refer to: People *Poles (people), another term for Polish people, from the country of Poland * Pole (surname), including a list of people with the name * Pole (musician) (Stefan Betke, born 1967), German electronic music artist ...

, also known as rods. Being approximately 198 feet (12 poles) wide at its mouth, the creek was named Twelvepole Creek.

Recreation

and

Beech Fork Lake Beech Fork Lake is a reservoir located near Lavalette in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States. Beech Fork Lake is also partly located in neighboring Cabell County. Millers Fork and Stowers Branch join Beech Fork with their own river vall ...

(formed from one of Twelvepole Creek's

tributaries A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ('' main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which the ...

) provide popular destinations for

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

, and

camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

References

{{authority control Rivers of West Virginia Tributaries of the Ohio River Rivers of Wayne County, West Virginia

Course

Origin of name

Recreation

See also

References