Near Meyersdale in Somerset County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Eastern Continental Divide
George Washington
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 27, 2022
1. Eastern Continental Divide Marker
In 1750s, as a colonel the British Army, George Washington fought the French in this region. His vision of the Rising Empire focused on connecting the Potomac to the Forks of the Ohio [Pittsburgh]. In 1784 Washington and others established the Patowmack Company to develop a navigable water route from Georgetown to Cumberland. While never completed, it formed the foundation for the building of the C&O Canal.
Erected by Great Allegheny Passage.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, French and Indian • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #01 George Washington series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1784.
Location. 39° 45.199′ N, 78° 54.947′ W. Marker is near Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, in Somerset County. It is at the intersection of Great Allegheny Passage Trail and McKenzie Hollow Road, on the right when traveling west on Great Allegheny Passage Trail. Marker is located on the east side of the Eastern Continental Divide tunnel. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Meyersdale PA 15552, United States
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: St. Ignatius Church (approx. 4 miles away in Maryland); Our Dead Are Not Unknown Soldiers (approx. 4 miles away in Maryland); Mount Savage Iron Works (approx. 4.3 miles away in Maryland); The Castle (approx. 4.4 miles away in Maryland); St. Ignatius Stone (approx. 4.4 miles away in Maryland); St Patrick School Monument (approx. 4.4 miles away in Maryland); On This Site in 1844 (approx. 4.4 miles away in Maryland); Mount Savage In The Great War (approx. 4˝ miles away in Maryland).
Another marker is no longer nearby. In Honor of the Sons and Daughters of Mount Savage
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 27, 2022
2. Eastern Continental Divide Marker
More about this marker. The highest point along the Great Allegheny Passage and the entire Pittsburgh-to-Washington, D.C. trip at 2,392 feet above sea level, the Eastern Continental Divide is a hydrographic divide separating the Chesapeake Bay and Mississippi River watersheds. It runs from western New York State to Florida.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 27, 2022
3. Elevation Chart Inside Tunnel at This Location
The marker is located at the highest point on the Great Allegheny Passage trail.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 27, 2022, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 789 times since then and 84 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 27, 2022, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
