| Buffalo Creek | |
| Name Other: | Tributary to Ohio River |
| Image Alt: | Buffalo Creek by Marsehll Woolen Mill Site |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA West Virginia#USA |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Buffalo Creek mouth |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Map of Buffalo Creek mouth location |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | West Virginia Pennsylvania |
| Subdivision Type3: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name3: | Brooke (WV) Washington (PA) |
| Subdivision Type4: | City |
| Subdivision Name4: | Bethany |
| Subdivision Type5: | Borough |
| Subdivision Name5: | Taylorstown |
| Length: | 39.85miles[1] |
| Discharge1 Location: | Ohio River |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 177.39cuft/s at mouth with Ohio River[2] |
| Source1: | Templeton Fork divide |
| Source1 Location: | Pleasant Grove, Pennsylvania |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 40.0764°N -80.3622°W[3] |
| Source1 Elevation: | 1270feet[4] |
| Mouth: | Ohio River |
| Mouth Location: | Wellsburg, West Virginia |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 40.2644°N -80.6153°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 644feet[5] |
| Progression: | Ohio River → Mississippi River → Gulf of Mexico |
| River System: | Ohio River |
| Tributaries Left: | Sawhill Run, Buck Run, Dutch Fork, Dog Run, Castleman Run, Logan Run, Stotts Run, Hogtan Run, Hukill Run, Grog Run, Kimlin Run, Greens Run |
| Tributaries Right: | Wolf Run, Brush Run, Narigan Run, Welch Run, Sugarcamp Run, Camp Run, Cascade Run, Mingo Run, Pierce Run, Titt Run, Painters Run |
| Bridges: | Chapel Hill Road, Cracraft Road, Sunset Road, Hawthorn Road, I-70, US 40, N Sunset Beach Road, Newman Road, Main Street, Walker Hill Road, Reed Road, PA 221 (x2), Greencove Road, PA 221, Pole Cat Hollow Road, Camp Buffalo Road (x2), PA 231, Brush Run Road, Dry Ridge Road, WV 32/3 (Counselmans Hill Road), WV 67 (x2) (Bethany Pike), WV 88 (West Liberty Road), WV 30/1. WV 30, Johnston Lane, Mazzella Lane, WV 67 (Bethany Pike), Genteel Ridge Road, WV 67 (x3) (Bethany Pike), WV 2 |
Buffalo Creek is a stream which runs through the United States commonwealths of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It rises in East Finley Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania.
Its tributaries are Brushy Run, Mill Run, Indian Camp Run, Buck Run, and Dutch Fork. These streams flow through the townships of East Findley, Donegal, Hopewell, and Buffalo, and the creek itself empties into the Ohio River[6] at Wellsburg, West Virginia
The stream was possibly named for a Buffalo trace that once passed through the valley.[7] [8]
The Buffalo Creek area was first visited by Europeans in the 1600s by LaSalle. Later in 1749, Captain Celeron de Blainville sailed down the Ohio River planting lead plates to claim land for France. These claims were then nullified during the Treaty of Paris of 1763.[9]
Settlement of the watershed began in the early 1770s with James Caldwell. In 1773, Thomas Clark and some Germans settled along Dutch Fork, hence the name of the tributary.[7]
The mouth of Buffalo Creek was the location of Wells Fort. A number of other forts were located in the watershed and include Rail's Fort (1770s), Ramsey's Fort (1770s) - near Bethany, and a blockhouse called Coon's Fort east of Bethany.[10]
A stockade, called Rices Stockade, was located near the present Town of Bethany. Rices Stockade was the scene of an Indian raid in 1782.[11]
The Washington County part of the watershed had an additional eight forts (see reference for names).[7]
The watershed was the location of a number of mills, the most prominent of which was Waugh's Mill (a flour mill)[12] built in the 1790s.[13]
Oil was discovered in the watershed at Taylorstown, Pennsylvania in 1885.[14]
Buffalo Creek rises at Pleasant Grove, Pennsylvania, in Washington County and then follows a westerly course into West Virginia to join the Ohio River at Wellsburg, West Virginia.[5]
Buffalo Creek drains of area, receives about 40.1 in/year of precipitation, has a wetness index of 316.09, and is about 80% forested.[2]