Chestnut Hill (Northampton County, Pennsylvania) Explained

Chestnut Hill
Elevation Ft:722
Elevation Ref:[1]
Location:Northampton County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Range:Reading Prong
Coordinates:40.7173°N -75.1968°W[2]
Topo:USGS Easton
Easiest Route:Road, Hiking

Chestnut Hill (Paxinosa Ridge, College Hill, Lafayette Hill or Mount Lafayette)[3] is a low mountain in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The main peak rises to 722feet, and is located in Forks Township; the southern slopes extend into the City of Easton where it is known as College Hill in allusion to Lafayette College. The neighborhood within Forks Township on the northern slopes of the mountain is known as Chestnut Hill.

Chestnut Hill overlooks the Delaware River, and, with Marble Mountain on the New Jersey side, forms Weygadt Gap or the "Little Water Gap".[4] The cliff overlooking Weygadt Gap is known as St. Anthony's Nose.[5] Chestnut Hill adjoins the Great Appalachian Valley to the north at Frost Hollow.

It is part of the Reading Prong of the Appalachian Mountains.

Toponymy

Chestnut Hill is named for the American chestnut tree, once prevalent in the area.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Verified elevation from USGS topographic map Easton
  2. 1171724 . Chestnut Hill . 2016-01-16 .
  3. Wright, James and Wright, Linda. (1988). Place Names of Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Nazareth, PA: Private Printing, 312 p. maps.
  4. A Paddler's Guide to the Delaware River: Kayaking, Canoeing, Rafting, Tubing; Gary Letcher; Rutgers University Press; New Brunswick, NJ; 2002; p 137
  5. http://www.njskylands.com/tn_riverroad_093 Skylands Visitor: Daytrips along the Delaware River near Foul Rift
  6. Northampton County, Pennsylvania; Geology and Geography. Pennsylvania Dept. of Internal Affairs, Topographic and Geological Survey, Harrisburg, 1939; p 61