Potomac River
| Region | Type | Maps & Charts (if available, no international) |
|---|---|---|
| North America, Mid-Atlantic, Atlantic | River | Potomac River |
River, 285 miles long, E central U.S.; formed SE of Cumberland (Md.), by the confluence of its North and South branches; flows generally SE to Chesapeake Bay. Forms part of the border bet. Md. and W.Va. and then separates Va. from both Md. and D.C. The upper course of the Potomac has cut several gaps across the parallel ridges of the Appalachian Mts.; the water gap at Harpers Ferry (W.Va.) is the largest. The river passes over the Great Falls above Wash., D.C., where it is crossed by Arlington Memorial Bridge and others, and enters a tidal estuary below the city. It is navigable for large ships to Wash., D.C., and formerly many smaller boats went to Cumberland (Md.), via the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal . Its principal tributary is the Shenandoah R., which it receives at Harpers Ferry. The river is noted for both its beauty and its historical associations. Mt. Vernon is on the Va. shore below Wash., D.C.
Sources
Robert A. McCaughey The Grand Idea; George Washington's Potomac and the Race to the WestCompiler
Peter Richards