Robinhood Road, Washington, WV 26181 - Wood County

OVERVIEW

Ohio River 380 is distinguished by its unique blend of highly desirable characteristics that are difficult to find together in one property and rarely available for purchase. The 380-acre property has over one-half mile of Ohio River frontage. It is blessed with incredibly abundant natural resources, a wealth of water, thriving wildlife, and both mountain and river-valley habitats. It features a stunningly diverse and balanced landscape that is wild and scenic, yet accessible and usable. Ohio 380 offers immediate enjoyment and is ready for a smooth transition to the next legacy of ownership.

HIGHLIGHTS

* The property has direct frontage on the Ohio River for over one-half mile

* 380+/- acres multi-use, timber investment, agricultural, recreational, and residential use

* Contiguous 290 +/- acres of mature world-renowned Appalachian hardwoods

* George Washington owned 9000 acres along Ohio in 1772 and Ohio 380 is thought to be a part of

* 20 minutes to Parkersburg and city amenities

* Near total darkness brilliantly reveals a star filled night sky very quiet too

* On property watersports include skiing, swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and windsurfing

* Superb cultural and educational opportunities available throughout the Mid-Ohio Region

* Interior roads and trails combine for excellent access

* Well suited for outdoor sports: shooting sports, ATV riding, horseback riding, hiking, camping, hunting and nature viewing

* Several areas suitable for residential or cabin development

* Elevations range from 580 ft. to 864 ft.

* Excellent potential conservation value

* Low taxes, low population density, little or no light and noise pollution

* The forest and fields are a steady producer of life-giving Oxygen and silently work to capture carbon

* Should one choose, there is harvest-ready timber available to offset holding costs

* Jet airports are in Pittsburgh, Charleston, Parkersburg, Columbus OH

* Ohio River 380 presents an opportunity to create a lasting generational legacy

* The property has never been on the market having been in the Neal family for well over a century

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 39.159330(N), -81.739598(W)

Address: Robinhood Road, Washington, WV 26181. No 911 address is assigned to a property without structures.

Elevation Range: 580 ft. to 864 ft. +/-

Nearby towns

Marietta, Ohio: 40 minutes

Parkersburg: 20 minutes

Ravenswood: 20 minutes

Major Cities (miles)

Atlanta, GA 567 mi

Baltimore, MD 334 mi

Charlotte, NC 331 mi

Cincinnati, OH 202 mi

Cleveland, OH 194 mi

Columbus, OH 120 mi

Indianapolis, IN 294 mi

Louisville, KY 288 mi

New York City, NY 498 mi

Pittsburg, PA 179 mi

Raleigh, NC 381 mi

Washington, DC 329 mi

Airports

Charleston, WV WV International Yeager Airport: 1 hour 10 minutes

Columbus, OH John Glenn Columbus International Airport: 2 hours

Parkersburg, WV Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport: 35 minutes

Pittsburg, PA Pittsburg International Airport: 2 hours 45 minutes

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

There are about 280 acres of forestland lying on the eastern side of Robinhood Road.

The abundant timber resource, consisting of about 280 acres, is well positioned for current timber income and value appreciation over the coming decades. With an attractive mix of species, adequate stocking levels, and favorable diameter class distribution, the timber amenity represents a strong value component for investors.

Ohio 380s Forest resource is rich in quality Appalachian hardwoods. This timber resource has the potential to provide flexibility for future owners in terms of opportunities for harvesting revenue that could be managed to provide cash flow opportunities to offset holding costs and contribute to long-term asset appreciation. Although Capital Timber Value for the timber and pulpwood has not been determined at this time, the potential is excellent.

The forests predominately well-drained upland terrain has led to a resource dominated by hardwood species. Overall, the species composition is highly desirable, favoring Appalachian hardwood types like Sugar Maple, Poplar/Basswood, Red Oak Group, White Oak/Chestnut Oak, Soft Maple, Hickory, Beech, and a host of associated species (ash, birch, sourwood, black gum, beech).

The forest at Ohio 380 is fully stocked, providing the next ownership with a great deal of flexibility in shaping their own silvicultural legacy. Across the property, stem quality can be considered excellent, and the timber component has been well managed over the years, consisting of stands of varying age classes. Most timber stands range from 30 to 80 years old stems, with diameters between 10 and 40 inches at breast height (dbh).

Diameters are well represented across the commercial spectrum with a notable mature size class, abundant pole-size timber, and growing stock. Scattered throughout the forest are a few Heritage Trees, some as old as 150 to 200 years. These ancient trees have withstood the test of time, weathering ice, wind, lightning strikes and fire.

The forest is healthy, and there are no signs of pest infestations of Gypsy Moth. The Emerald Ash Borer, which has inundated the entire Northeast U.S., is present, and the Ash component will significantly decline over the next decade. Thankfully, there have been no forest fires in recent memory.

The forest floor is a dynamic ecosystem, home to several types of mushrooms, medicinal plants, wild ginseng, ferns, and cool green mosses. Crops of acorns and hickory nuts are produced each year from the abundant oak and hickory trees.

This environment would be ideal for Honeybees, and it would be possible to produce maple syrup from the sugar and red maple trees growing on the property.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

Ohio River 380 has about 80 acres in level open areas/fields lying between Robinhood Road and the Ohio River. Currently, the fields are utilized for hay production and grazing cattle. In times past, corn was raised for cattle feed.

With the advent of the modern farm tractor in the mid-1940s, many farm workers were no longer needed and migrated to the large northern cities to work in the factories. This sweeping change resulted in the less productive and steeper areas of the farms were abandoned and were no longer being maintained. These areas eventually became todays valued forests. There are about 80 acres of gently laying hayfields and of pasture. The hayfields would also be suitable for row crops like corn, wheat, pumpkins, etc. The property has been in continuous agricultural use for some 150 years. The property's rich soil, blue line and intermittent streams, 4 seasons climate, and varied topography provide the necessary elements for a permaculture lifestyle.

Honeybees will do well here and it may be possible to produce some maple syrup from the sugar and red maple trees growing on the property.

WILDLIFE

The owners have always considered the resident wildlife population a treasured component of the property. They have focused on the overall wildlife health, facilitated the harvest of game, developed wildlife viewing areas, improved carrying capacity, and increased species diversity. Years of progressive wildlife management practices have created an incredible wildlife habitat that is in harmony with the ongoing farming operations and surrounding community.

The Ohio River is a major contributor to the local and regional ecosystems richness and diversity for both plants and animals. The Ohio River, and the surrounding creeks, ponds, and wetlands, create a water supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. Some areas are bordered by wetlands, and these wetlands support the aquatic food web and provide shelter for wildlife. The plant life associated with the wetland includes rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed and algae.

There are many animals that often live year-round, and at other times, in the Ohio, creeks, ponds, and wetlands including beavers, otters, minks, raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, minnows, native fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrats, bull frogs, eagles, hawks and redwing blackbirds.

There is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, pond skaters, water beetles, damselflies, tadpoles and various insect larvae. The diverse tree species, coupled with the abundant water supply from the river, streams and creeks, create the perfect wildlife habitat. The miles of edge effect created between farm fields, creeks, hollows, ridges, and rock outcrops benefit all the resident wildlife. Bald eagles, white tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, raccoon, fox, and many species of songbirds, owls and raptors make up the resident wildlife population.

The hardwood forest provides an essential nutrient source and produces hard mast including acorns hickory nuts and beech nuts. Soft mast includes stag horn sumac, black cherry, tulip poplar seeds, maple seeds, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

BUTTERFLIES

The property is an exceptional habitat for all butterflies, especially the Monarch. The monarch is highly dependent on the milkweed plant and will always return to areas rich in milkweed to lay their eggs upon the plant. The milkweed they feed on as caterpillars is actually a poisonous toxin and is stored in their bodies. This is what makes the monarch butterfly taste so terrible to predators. Of course, other butterflies visit the property, including the eastern tiger and spicebush swallowtails, silver-spotted skipper, and a variety of sulphurs and whites.

One other interesting insect to visit the property is the Black Saddlebag Dragonfly, a regular guest of the creeks and wetlands with all the frogs, salamanders, crawdads and turtles.

RECREATION AT OHIO RIVER 380

The property offers unparalleled recreational opportunities.

* Water-sports enthusiasts will find the Ohio River ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and windsurfing. Great fishing is found for small and large mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskie, walleye, pike and bluegill.

* Nature viewing is next in line of recreational activities. Wildlife viewing is not just for larger animals. Equal consideration is given to a diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, eagles and hawks. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, geese, squirrel, raccoon, fox and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population.

* Stargazing-Planet Observation. Lots of darkness can be still be found on the property, thereby affording the opportunity to view the night sky in all its brilliant wonder. Ideal for star walking and astrophotography too.

*Shooting-sports devotees find all the land and privacy needed to enjoy:

*Paintball-Airsoft-Laser Tag-Archery tag

*Shotgun sport shooting including Skeet, Trap, Double Trap and Sporting Clays

*Rifle & Handgun shooting: bullseye, silhouette, western, bench rest, long-range, fast draw

*Archery and Crossbow competition shooting

*22 single shot rifle and a few tin cans make a fun day

*All Terrain Motorsports

The property is perfect for experiencing the property from an ATV or UTV. Riders are welcome to ride all public roads that do not have a painted dividing line and there are miles and miles of open roads in the area. These exciting machines handle the wide variety of the forests terrain.

*Dirt bikes can also be a lot of fun and they come in all sizes and horsepower to fit anyone who enjoys being on two wheels.

*Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding and Hiking The land may be used for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding and the area offers several state and national parks geared for these activities.

CARBON SEQUESTRATION

The property is a tremendous producer of Oxygen and sequester of Carbon Dioxide. Carbon Sequestration is the act of processing carbon dioxide through sinks and stores and releasing them into the atmosphere as oxygen. The vigorously growing forest is sequestering thousands of tons of Carbon Dioxide each per year and producing tons and tons of life-giving Oxygen.

This natural process allows the owner (and family/friends) the opportunity to potentially enjoy a carbon neutral footprint.

The leasing of Carbon Credits to environmental mitigation companies is a rapidly emerging financial opportunity for the property owner to receive income without placing any burden on the land. The leases can be for as little as one year.

RIPARIAN ZONES

In earlier times, before the environmental and societal values of riparian zones (RZs) were discovered, the RZ was commonly called a swamp. These enchanting areas are biologically rich and wildlife diverse, being akin to the worlds largest swamps found in the Florida Everglades and the Amazon River Basin. The mighty RZ works to provide ecosystem services non-monetary benefits like clean water, clean air, carbon sequestration, and recreation for everyone.

These areas are the best of both worlds. Here you can watch for deer, squirrels, raccoon, and turkey while exploring for butterflies, turtles, frogs, crawdads, songbirds, salamanders, newts, and a host of other aquatic invertebrates, migratory birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

The RZs are a very productive part of the environment, more productive of vegetation, in fact, than some agricultural soils. This vegetation serves important purposes. It shelters and feeds many wildlife species that cannot survive elsewhere. Almost 35 percent of all rare and endangered species depend, in some way, on RZs. More common riparian zone species provide enjoyment to many by serving educational, research and recreational needs. Waterfowl and many furbearers such as beaver, mink and muskrat provide both consumptive and no consumptive recreation and are dependent on the zones. Many fringe RZs provide the food that young fish need to survive. By slowing the flow of water, RZs help keep banks from eroding and they trap and settle suspended silt before it smothers fish eggs and covers the insects and other animals that fish eat.

Riparian zones add visual diversity and offer an opportunity to see many different plant and wildlife species seen nowhere else on the property.

GEORGE WASHINGTON FIRST OWNER IN 1772

The 380 acres of land that makes up Ohio 380 is thought to a part of a 9000 acre tract Governor Dinwiddie granted to George Washington in 1772. In 1769, Captain William Crawford and several others surveyed lands on behalf of George Washington who was granted, by Robert Dinwiddie, the Governor of colonial Virginia, over 9,000 acres of land along the Ohio River for his service during the French and Indian War (1755-1763), to include the land at Belleville. In 1770, George Washington led a surveying party down the Ohio River from Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh) and explored the area personally. Washington received an official land grant for the lands he chose in Botetourt County on December 15, 1772. Washington sold the Belleville land tract to a land company for development.

NEAL POND

Neal Pond is an historic water feature found within the boundaries of the property. It is thought the 3 acre+/- pond was formed when the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (now CSX Railroad) was constructed down the Ohio from Parkersburg to Huntington sometime in the late 1870s. Neal Pond is officially noted on the United States Geological Survey maps, confirming it has been established for many decades, if not a century or more.

Generally, the Ohio River receives all the attention when water amenities are considered. However, Neal Pond, lying just a short distance from the river, sustains a much different ecosystem than that of the free-flowing river. It is a world teeming with its own kind of life. Frogs, turtles, fish, snails, dragonflies, and butterflies are just some of the ponds inhabitants. Others include crickets, spiders, newts, tadpoles, muskrats, mink, mollusks, and water fleas. Spiders spin their webs close to the pond to trap insects.

A host of plants well suited for growing in wet conditions in and around the edges offer shelter and nesting areas. Cattails, water lilies, reeds, duckweed and water mint are just a few of the hundreds of water plants found in ponds.

Ponds may be home to many different living things, but they are also an important place for many more to visit. Some may come to ponds to hunt, drink, cool down, or even hide from predators. Deer, turkey, bear, bobcat, otter, mink, heron, hawk, eagle, and rabbit are some regular visitors to Neal Pond. Birds of all kinds visit to rest, drink, catch insects, reproduce, and sing.

Lastly adults and children often visit. They come to fish, paddle boat, canoe, watch birds, meditate, and picnic.

WATER

There are 3 dashed blue line streams that flow through the property as they empty into the Ohio River. Stillwell Hollow is on the property for about mile. Barn Hollow is on the property for about 8/10 mile. The third stream, which is unnamed, is on the property for about mile. Those streams should have intermittent water flow, especially during rain events and periods of snow melt. Neal Pond, located on the southern end of the property, is about 3 acres in size and is fed by both Barn Hollow and the unnamed stream. The property fronts on the Ohio River in two sections. The northern section is about 4/10 mile in length, and the southern section is about 2/10 mile in length for about 6/10 mile of total river frontage.

MINERAL RESOURCES

This is a Surface Only conveyance. The mineral rights have been retained by the current owners of the property.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The western boundary of the property is the Ohio River. Some of the other property boundaries are evidenced by fencing. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: Well could be drilled

Sewer: Private septic could be installed

Electricity: On site

Telephone: On site

Internet: Starlink, or coverage may be possible thru phone cable or other satellite providers

Cellphone Coverage: Spotty, dependent on location on property and the Service Provider

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

Robinhood Road Route 11 runs through the property in two places for a total combined distance of over mile. It runs through the northwestern portion of the property for about 4/10 mile, while it runs through the southwestern portion of the property for about 2/10 mile. A single-track CSX railroad runs through the property as two separate sections. Each section of railroad has a developed crossing utilized by the property's internal roads.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property is comprised of about 95 acres of open areas/ fields, about 280 acres of contiguious forestland, and about 5 acres in roads/trails, highway, utility line, and railroad.

(This is an estimation of current property use as determined from aerial photography. It is made subject to the estimation of property boundaries and any errors in the interpretation of land use type from the aerial photography utilized.)

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: A portion of DB 981 Pg. 283

Wood County, West Virginia

Acreage: 380 acres +/-

Real Estate Tax ID/Taxes:

Wood County, West Virginia

Harris District (2)

Tax Map 190 Parcels C, D, E, F

Tax Map 200 Parcels B, C

Tax Map 250 Parcels G, H, H1

All Class 2

2024 Total Real Estate Taxes: $432

ZONING

Wood County has zoning, subdivision, and floodplain regulations. All prospective buyers should consult the County Government and also the Health Department regarding zoning, any desire for division of the land, building codes, land use plans, and installation of water wells and septic systems.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Wood County School District

Public Elementary School:

Blennerhasset Elementary School

Public Middle School:

Blennerhasset Middle School

Public High School:

Parkersburg High School

Colleges in Wood County:

WVU Parkersburg, Wood County School of Practical Nursing, Wood County Technical Center and the Caperton Center, Parkersburg Bible College, and others in the surrounding area

WEST VIRGINIA A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Nickname: The Mountain State

Statehood: 1863; 35th state

Population 2025: 1,770,071

Capital: Charleston

Biggest City: Charleston

Abbreviation: WV

State bird: Cardinal

State flower: Rhododendron

State Animal: Black Bear

The most forested state

HISTORY

After archaeologists discovered spear points used to hunt extinct species such as mastodons and mammoths, they realized that people have lived in what is now West Virginia for at least 10,500 years. Many thousands of years after these ancient people lived, Native American tribes including the Cherokee, Iroquois, Manahoac, Meherrin, Monacan, Nottaway, Shawnee, Occaneechi, Tutelo, and Saponi populated the land.

After the British arrived in the 1600s, the area that now encompasses West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, and parts of North Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York was all called Virginia. In 1730, Virginias British-controlled government offered a thousand acres free to each European family willing to move to the area that would become West Virginia. As a result, Native Americans homelands were taken, and tribes began supporting the French in a land war against the British (often called the French and Indian War) from 1756 until 1763.

The British won that battle, so West Virginia was still part of Virginia during the Revolutionary War of 1775 to 1783. But at the beginning of the Civil War (1861-1865), West Virginia refused to secede (withdraw) from the Union along with the rest of the state. John Brown, an abolitionist, someone who wanted to abolish slavery, staged a famous raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Brown hoped weapons gained in the raid would be used in the fight against slavery, but his raid failed. West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1861, and two years later, it became its own state.

WHY IS IT CALLED THE MOUNTAIN STATE?

West Virginia was originally going to be called Kanawha, a name that honors a Native American tribe. However, even though the region separated from Virginia, officials still wanted that as part of its new name. (Virginia was named after a nickname of Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled in the late 1500s.)

West Virginia is called the Mountain State because its the only state completely within the Appalachian Mountain region, and its average elevation is higher than any other state east of the Mississippi River!

GEOGRAPHY AND LANDFORMS

Some people think this states shape looks like a leaping frog, with its nose in the southwestern corner. Its bordered by Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland in the north; Maryland and Virginia in the east; Virginia and Kentucky in the south; and Kentucky and Ohio in the west. Its wiggly western border is created by the Ohio River, while its winding eastern border is created by the Appalachian Mountains. It can be divided into two geographical regions.

The Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region includes the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains, which start in the northeast and run southwest. This region is known for its parallel ridges that were cut by streams, as well as canyons called water gaps. Forests, caves, and high peaks dot this area, including the states highest point, Spruce Knob.

The Allegheny Plateau spreads across the rest of the state and has flat-topped hills and rounded peaks. Deep, stream-cut gorges and a wall of mountains called the Allegheny Front separate the states two regions.

WILDLIFE

At least 70 kinds of mammals inhabit West Virginia, including Virginia big-eared bats, West Virginia northern flying squirrels, raccoons, skunks, and black bears, the state animal. Wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, barred owls, bald eagles, cerulean warblers, and ruby-throated hummingbirds are among the 300 species of birds that live in the state.

Fence lizards, stinkpots (a kind of turtle), rattlesnakes, and five-lined skinks are some of the reptiles that slither and skitter through West Virginia. Amphibians such as tiny cricket frogs, mountain chorus frogs (Spring peepers), Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders, newts, and West Virginia spring salamanders also live throughout the state.

Some of West Virginias most common trees include oaks, poplar, hickory, maples, Black Walnut, and hemlock. The state also has many native wildflowers such as Black Eyed Susans, Joe Pie Weed, bluebells, buttonweed, Virginia potato (which has edible roots), and wild strawberry.

NATURAL RESOURCES

As the United States third most-forested state, West Virginia is known as a Resource State for its coal, timber, natural gas, quarry stone, rivers, and protected woodlands. Its also famous for its salt: Wild buffalo and deer gathered to lick natural salt deposits, and Native Americans and colonists gathered salt to cure butter and preserve meats. Today salt deposits are still mined for rock salt, which is then used to create chemicals such as chlorine.

Coal, oil, timber, and natural gas are major contributors to the states economy.

ABOUT WOOD COUNTY

Founded: 1798

Land in square miles: 377

Population: 84,296

Median age: 43.7

Percentage 65 or older: 21.0%

Public school enrollment (2024-25): 11,319

High school graduate or higher: 90.7%

Bachelors degree or higher: 21.8%

Home ownership: 73.7%

Named for James Wood, Virginias governor from 1796 to 1800, Wood County was established by the Virginia General Assembly on December 21, 1798, a little over 13 years after the first permanent European-American settlement (Neals Station) had been founded in the county. The county seat is Parkersburg.

Reduced in size between 1831 and 1863 by the creation of Jackson, Roane, Ritchie, Wirt, and Pleasants counties, Woods remaining 377 square miles is divided almost equally into northern and southern sectors by the Little Kanawha River. The county was in 1863 the home of four of the founders of West Virginia: Arthur Ingraham Boreman (the states first governor), William Erskine Stevenson (the first president of the state senate), Peter Godwin Van Winkle (one of the states first two U.S. senators), and Jacob Beeson Blair (a member of the U.S. House of Representatives). It was also the home of the states first federal judge, John Jay Jackson Jr.

Population increased steadily in the antebellum period, due to the completion of internal improvements and several important discoveries. Wood is located at the confluence of the Ohio and the Little Kanawha, and the introduction of the steamboat on the Ohio in 1811 increased trade through the county. The local economy was boosted by the completion of two turnpikes by 1847 and the Northwestern Virginia Railroad (later part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad) to Parkersburg a decade later. The discovery of petroleum in the area gave an additional spark to the economy. As a result of these developments, Wood County attracted a diverse population, including the largest Irish Catholic, German, Jewish, and Black settlements between Wheeling and Huntington.

Within two months of the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, federal forces were stationed in the county to protect the railroad. Later, three hospitals were established. In 1863, Fort Boreman was constructed, an installation built on a hill overlooking the point where the Little Kanawha and the Ohio meet.

After the wars end in 1865, the number of Wood County's residents increased every decade until the 1980s when the population peaked at 93,648. Its population in 2020 was 84,296. Its growth in 1865-1900 was fueled by the large reserves of oil and natural gas in the Mid-Ohio Valley, the construction of refineries, the completion of the Ohio River Railroad in 1884, and the development of a vigorous timber processing industry. Growth has been sustained by economic diversification and education.

In 2023, Wood County's largest employers were WVU Medicine, the county school system, Walmart, Chemours (DuPont), and Linx Community Services.

The county ranks near the top in the state in educational leadership. In Parkersburg the first free school south of the Mason-Dixon line was established in 1862 for African Americans, the first public high school diplomas issued in the state were awarded to Parkersburg High School graduates in 1874, and the first high school diplomas to be issued to African Americans were granted at Sumner School in 1887. Wood has four high schools: three public and one private. It has one baccalaureate degree-granting college: West Virginia University at Parkersburg, founded in 1961. Mountain State College, established in 1888, offers associates degrees for medical assistants and individuals who work with people with dependency disorders. Another degree-granting organization, the private Christian school Ohio Valley University, operated from 1958 until closing in 2022.

Most Wood Countians live to the west of Interstate 77, which divides the county from east to west, in Parkersburg, Vienna, Williamstown, and North Hills, the countys four incorporated communities. The countys Parks and Recreation Commission oversees several parks, including Mountwood Park, situated in the eastern section of the county adjacent to what was once the countys number one oil field boom town, Volcano, and within a mile of the countys highest point, which is 1,328 feet above sea level. Wood County has six islands, the largest of which is Blennerhassett, a part of the West Virginia state park system.

Within the county are some of the states finest examples of Victorian Age architecture. There are five National Register historic districts and dozens of individual National Register historic properties.

The countys weather is generally moderate. However, on July 18, 1889, more than 19 inches of rain fell on Limestone Hill, at the southern tip of the county, in about two hours. Devastating floods hit the county almost annually before the completion of a floodwall in Parkersburg in 1950 and the construction of locks and dams on the Ohio, including one at Belleville.

PARKERSBURG WV

Parkersburg is a city in Wood County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha rivers, it is the states fourth-most populous city and the center of the ParkersburgVienna metropolitan area. The citys population was 29,749 at the 2020 census, and its metro population was 89,490. The city is about 14 miles south of Marietta, Ohio.

*History

Settlers at first named the city Newport when they settled it in the late 18th century following the American Revolutionary War. A town section was laid out on land granted to Alexander Parker for his Revolutionary War service. Virginia made grants of land to veterans for their war service. The title conflicts between Parker and the city planners of Newport were settled in 1809 in favor of his heirs. The town was renamed Parkersburg in 1810. It was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1820. It was rechartered as a city in 1860.

The town was the western terminus of both the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and the Northwestern Turnpike. In 1857, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad built a branch line south to the town from Wheeling, West Virginia. Travelers wanting to connect with the Ohio Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, one of the eastwest lines along the Ohio River, had to take a steamboat 14 miles north to Marietta, Ohio. Jacob Linville designed the railroad bridge planned by the B&O. It was constructed in 18681870 between Parkersburg and Belpre, Ohio, as part of the B&Os main line from Baltimore to St. Louis, Missouri. This drew traffic and trade from Marietta. Today the structure is known as the Parkersburg Bridge.

Parkersburg served as a transportation and medical center for Union forces during the American Civil War. It developed further as a transportation hub in the gas and oil boom following that war.

In the late 19th century, Parkersburg emerged as a major oil refining center serving nearby oilfields at Volcano and Burning Springs. The Camden Consolidated Oil Company, founded in 1866 by future U.S. Senator Johnson Newlon Camden, dominated the refining business and was sold to Rockefellers Standard Oil Company in 1875. Camden became a Standard director and vice president and, along with John W. Davis, dominated West Virginia politics until the early 20th century.

In the post-World War II period, Parkersburg became one of the leading industrial centers of the Ohio Valley, producing chemicals, glass, O. Ames tools, textiles (especially American Viscose Company rayon), plastics and polymers, iron, and steel.

The Bureau of the Public Debt, an agency of the U.S. Treasury Department, was moved to Parkersburg in 1954 as a location midway between Chicago and Washington, D.C. that would be safe in the event of a national emergency. In October 2012, the Bureau of the Public Debt consolidated with the Financial Management Service to form the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.

*Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.35 square miles, of which 11.82 square miles is land and 0.53 square miles is water.

The city is situated at the confluence of the Little Kanawha and Ohio rivers. The Little Kanawha River divides the north and south sides of the city. Worthington Creek, a tributary of the Little Kanawha River, flows through the eastern part of the city.

*Neighborhoods

The North End of the city includes Beechwood, Downtown, Fairview Heights, Granada Hills, Julia-Ann Square, Meadowcrest, Oakwood Estates, Quincy Hill, Riverside, Woodland Park, North End, Worthington, and East End neighborhoods.

The southern part of the City of Parkersburg, South Parkersburg was a separate city until it became part of Parkersburg in 1950. Suburban parts of southern Wood County include Blennerhassett, Lubeck, and Washington to the southwest, with Mineral Wells located to the southeast.

OHIO RIVER

*INTRODUCTION

With immense historical and geographical significance, the Ohio River has been a potent symbol of the American journey for centuries. Its 981-mile journey weaves a fascinating tale of ecology, history, and civil life that culminates in one of the most important waterways in the United States. In this article, we shall embark on an enlightening voyage to discover where this mighty river originates and where it concludes, along with intriguing facts about the Ohio River that strengthen its standing as an iconic American landmark.

*Where does the Ohio River start and end?

The Ohio River starts at the confluence of the Allegheny & Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and ends in Cairo, Illinois, where it flows into the Mississippi River. The Ohio River is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly 981 miles long.

Technically, the rivers formation started between 2.5 and 3 million years ago, marking the occurrence of the earliest ice ages. This is also when several portions of the north-flowing rivers were dammed thanks to the formation of ice, resulting in smaller rivers.

Historically significant and full of natural allure, the Ohio River flows like a liquid ribbon, weaving through five U.S. states. It meanders on, touching West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and finally, Illinois. In each of these states, it forms part of their borders, creating a W-shaped path that is distinctive and unique as the river itself.

The Ohio River is more than just a river, it is a crucial part of the continents circulatory system, supplying life-giving water across a considerable swathe of the United States. With its profound influence on the ecology and commerce of the areas it flows through, the rivers importance cannot be underestimated. The Ohio Rivers massive watershed is also a major drainage area of the U.S. Its this combination of environment, economics, and geography that makes the Ohio River stand out.

This river is a lifeblood conduit between the eastern seaboard and the midwestern states. Its waters have borne explorers, pioneers, and modern-day travelers, facilitating a flow of people, ideas, and goods that have helped shape the nation.

The Rivers in the United States that Source the Ohio River:

1. The Monongahela River runs 128 miles and is one of the few major navigable rivers in the world that runs north. It starts at Fairmont, West Virginia, and flows north into Pennsylvania. Monongahela is derived from a Native American Word meaning high banks or bluffs

2. The Allegheny River runs 325 miles from Porter County, PA into New York state, and back into Pennsylvania. The name comes from the Lenape Native Americans and is commonly believed to mean fine river.

3. The Ohio River runs 981 miles ending at Cairo, IL, and is the largest tributary to the Mississippi River. The name comes from an Iroquoian word meaning great river.

THE ROLE OF THE OHIO RIVER IN UNITED STATES HISTORY

The Ohio River is rich in Native American history. For a thousand years, Native Americans used Ohio for transportation and trading with other communities along its path. The North American Osage, Omaha, Ponca, and Kaw peoples lived in the Ohio Valley. Under pressure over the fur trade from the Iroquois nations to the northeast, they migrated west of the Mississippi River in the 17th century to the territory now defined as Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, a 17th-century French explorer and fur trader, claimed the region watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries for France and named it Louisiana after King Louis XIV. His last expedition to establish fur trading posts failed and cost La Salle his life in 1687. By the treaty of 1763 ending the French and Indian Wars, the English finally gained undisputed control of the territory along its banks.

During the 1800s, the Ohio River became an important commercial route for residents in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Farmers and manufacturers sent their crops and finished products on flatboats and barges downstream to link up with the Mississippi River and then on to New Orleans.

WHO OWNS THE OHIO RIVER?

Because the Ohio River was considered a major trade route, border states decided they wanted a piece of the popular river. Soon, it would become a legal dispute with the government getting involved. In 1792, the government decided that it was Kentucky that owned the Ohio River along the states border with Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. The reason behind this decision is that this boundary was the low point of the rivers northernmost bank but it didnt end there.

About two centuries later, the State of Ohio sought to gain the claim to the Ohio River a second time. In 1966, the state made a point that the course of the river had fluctuated since 1792, making the aforementioned low point near the south bank of the river today. However, the United States Supreme Court didnt change the legal ownership of the Ohio River, so it still belongs to Kentucky to this day.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT THE OHIO RIVER

The Ohio River, often hailed as a symbol of Americas natural splendor and history, presents a myriad of interesting facts and unique attributes. Starting in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, this expansive river meanders its way through several states before ultimately ending its journey by feeding into the mighty Mississippi River.

The river, whose name originates from an Iroquois word meaning Great River, indeed lives up to its moniker. Its vastness is merely one of the fascinating aspects of this river.

The Ohio is important for its role in United States history. This river was a significant transportation route during Americas westward expansion, shaping the nations growth and development. Accordingly, the rivers journey through various states tells stories of past eras, each town along its banks whispering tales of its engagement with the Ohio River.

Furthermore, the rivers size and reach are awe-inspiring. Traversing through multiple states, the Ohio Rivers width, depth, and natural settings reveal an impressive range. The river waters variation in depth and flow due to the rivers winding trajectory and change of seasons showcases natures ability to continually morph and adapt.

In a broader sense, its the lifeline of the region, providing drinking water and serving as a critical component of many ecosystems.

Perhaps the main takeaway is understanding its profound and lasting impact. From its genesis to its ending, this river is more than a body of water. Its a testament to the resilience of nature, and a constant reminder of our country's rich history.

JUST THE FACTS

* The Ohio is the 6th oldest river on the North American continent.

* The Ohio River begins at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and flows southwest for about 981 miles before emptying into the Mississippi River near Cairo, Illinois.

* Runs through or along the borders of six states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.

* Is significant for transportation, recreation, and as a water source. It played a vital role in the westward expansion of the United States and continues to be important for commerce and tourism.

* Like many rivers, the Ohio River faces pollution challenges from agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, and urban runoff. Efforts are ongoing to improve water quality and mitigate pollution.

* Is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including fish such as bass, catfish, and sturgeon, as well as birds, reptiles, and mammals like otters and beavers.

* Offers various recreational activities such as boating, fishing, camping, and birdwatching. Many parks and trails are situated along its banks, providing opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.

* The Ohio River basin is prone to flooding, with historic floods occurring periodically. Flood control measures, such as dams and levees, have been implemented to mitigate the impact of flooding.

* During the Civil War, Ohio served as the boundary between the Northern and Southern armies.

* Water from parts of New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama drain into tributaries that empty into Ohio.

* Is a source of drinking water for more than five million people. More than 25 million people, almost 10% of the country's population, live in the Ohio River Basin.

* Industrial barges hauling steel and oil travel along the Ohio River creating commerce for the entire region.

* The Army Corps of Engineers regularly dredge the river which some people feel is disrupting wildlife and adding more environmental concerns to the Ohio River Valley Basin.

* Following floods at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1889 and Portsmouth, Ohio in 1937, the federal government built a series of flood-control dams not used for hydropower along the river flood control.

* The widest point along the Ohio River is approximately 1 mile at Smithland Dam near Smithland, KY.

* It has an average depth of approximately 24 feet.

* Supports 160 species of fish.

* Has 20 locks and dams for flood control and navigation.

* There are 38 power-generating facilities on the Ohio River.

* The rivers deepest point is 168 feet on the western side of Louisville Kentucky.

* At the confluence with the Mississippi at Cairo Illinois the depth is just 19 feet

* The water moves on the Ohio River can range from 0.1 mph under low flow to 5 mph at flood

HISTORY OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

The oil and gas industry in West Virginia originated at Burning Springs, located in Wirt County on the Little Kanawha River upstream from Elizabeth. The community's name was derived from two springs from which natural gas escaped and sometimes burned. William Palmer Rathbone began purchasing land here in 1840, eventually gaining more than 10,000 acres. The following year he arrived in Burning Springs with his sons.

Long before the arrival of European settlers, it is believed that the Native Americans recognized and perhaps used as a fuel source the burning springs and outflows of petroleum on the Little Kanawha, Kanawha, and Big Sandy rivers. Records show that the early settlers were also aware of the burning springs which were natural gas vents. One such burning spring, located on the Kanawha River, was visited by George Washington in 1775.

The oil and gas industry in West Virginia began as an outgrowth of the salt industry. In the early 1800s, oil and gas had no importance in West Virginia, and though saltmakers frequently hit oil or gas in their drilling, they considered it a nuisance. In fact, so much oil was diverted to the Kanawha River by salt manufactures that it was long known as Old Greasy to the boatmen. Gas was first struck in a well drilled for salt at Charleston in 1815. Once the value of oil and gas was realized, the Great Kanawha Valley region became a pioneer in the discovery of petroleum by boring and in the use of oil and gas on a commercial scale. By 1826, oil was used for lamps in workshops and factories. The drilling tools, jars, and casing, first developed in 1806 by the Ruffner brothers for the salt industry, became essential equipment to the petroleum industry of the United States.

On the Little Kanawha River, near the Hughes River, was a stream called Burning Springs Run, named because there were two springs at its mouth from which natural gas escaped. As early as 1781, Thomas Jefferson described the brilliant flame which could be produced by thrusting a lighted candle into the escaping gas at this site. Because gas and salt brine were often associated, the Rathbone brothers bored a salt well near these springs. The Rathbones collected oil from the surface of the river and sold it as an elixir known as rock oil. They also began drilling for salt brine, but found the brine contaminated by oil.

However, rather than salt, at a depth of 200 feet they hit petroleum and by boring deeper, they were able to produce 200 barrels per day in 1859. Although petroleum was not the treasure that the Rathbones sought, they were encouraged by their find and drilled a second well which yielded 1,200 barrels of petroleum daily. The oil was shipped to a refinery in Parkersburg constructed by Johnson Camden.

News of the Rathbone brothers discovery spread rapidly and created tremendous excitement. By 1861, a town with several thousand inhabitants had sprung up. The discovery drew thousands of people to Burning Springs, turning it into a Sodom of sin, anointed with oil. Lighting in the newly formed town, including that for a brilliantly lit hotel, was provided by natural gas. The widespread use of gas in this town marked the beginning of the era of gas development in West Virginia.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil were being floated down the river to Parkersburg where they were then sent to other cities by rail or river. The Burning Springs oil field was one of only two oil fields in America prior to the Civil War. But by 1876, there were 292 wells in the State, producing a total of 900 barrels daily. Parkersburg was the chief oil market.

The Volcano oil field was discovered in 1860, and from 1865 to 1870 drilling was very active, producing from the Salt sand at a depth of about 360 feet. The heavy lubricants produced led to the development of West Virginias first oil pipeline, from Volcano to Parkersburg, in 1879. Also at Volcano, in 1874, W. C. Stiles, Jr., invented the endless wire method of pumping many wells from a central engine. Using wheels, belts, and cables, perhaps as many as 40 wells could be pumped by one engine. One of the systems operated until 1974.

From 1879 to 1889, oil production declined steadily due in great part to the inability of the drillers to bore to the deeper sands and to deal with softer rock they encountered. But in 1889, large iron pipes were inserted to prevent clogging of the wells by crumbling walls, and with this discovery much deeper wells could be drilled. With the discovery of deeper oil sands, the Dolls Run, Eureka, Mannington, and Sistersville fields were found and developed.

It was about this time that the anticlinal theory of gas and oil accumulation was first proposed. Dr. I.C. White, a well-known geologist who later became West Virginia State Geologist, was one of the major initiators of this anticlinal theory, insisting that the theory be tested in West Virginia. His discovery and development of the Mannington oil field in 1888 proved the theory and convinced the oil industry of its importance. The Mannington field became one of the largest in the State, with the largest well producing about 1,600 barrels per day.

Thus, from its early beginnings at Burning Springs in 1859, the oil industry in West Virginia grew to reach its peak production of 16 million barrels in 1900. Although the oil industry then started to decline, natural gas production was growing. From 1906 to 1917 West Virginia was the leader in gas production in the United States. From 1917 to 1934 the States output declined markedly, then increased again until about 1970.

TRANSPORTATION ON THE RIVER

From the mid-1800s and into the 1930s, boats powered by steam and later by gasoline carried people, mail, and freight up and down the river. The boats that plied the Little Kanawha were much smaller than the big paddle wheelers that churned the Ohio River. A windowed cabin, sometimes two decks tall, protected passengers and freight from the weather. Divided into rooms and a galley, the cabin was home to the crew, which sometimes included the family of the captain. A wheelhouse perched atop the whole. Commercial navigation came to an end as roadways connecting the towns along the rivers banks improved.