Lexington, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Fish Really Need a Ladder Sometimes!

Why and how does it work?

Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 12, 2024

1. Fish Really Need a Ladder Sometimes! Marker

Inscription.
Looking across the river, you can see the remains of a fish ladder that was at the far end of the dam built in 1911 and removed in 2019. (photo right) It is an example of early efforts to provide fish with a way to travel upstream past man-made obstacles. The ladder or "fishway" consists of a series of low dams creating small pools of water. Such pool-and-weir fishways were commonly built during the early 1900's in the hopes of helping fish get past dams to make their way upstream. These structures had limited success, though, due to the steepness of the structure and the speed of the water.

The design of this structure is similar to the Cail Fishway that was commonly built during the early 1900's, albeit with limited effectiveness.

[Captions]:

Courtesy of Virginia Department of Game Inland Fisheries.

Bayer, H. Von. Fishways. Paper presented before the Fourth International Fishery Congress, Washington, DC, 1908.

Jordan's Point Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Visit the Miller's House website for more information:
millershousemuseum.org

Erected 2017 by Miller's

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House Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Man-Made Features • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.

Location. 37° 47.552′ N, 79° 25.69′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Virginia. It can be reached from Moses Mill Road north of Jordan Point Road, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in Jordan's Point Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 834 Moses Mill Road, Lexington VA 24450, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Is a Packet Boat a Passenger Boat?

Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 12, 2024

2. Fish Really Need a Ladder Sometimes! Marker

(within shouting distance of this marker); Batteaux, Freight Boats, Packet Boats, Wagons, Horses & Mules (within shouting distance of this marker); What is a Gauge Dock? (within shouting distance of this marker); This is John Jordan's point. After all, he started it. (within shouting distance of this marker); First it was cotton, then it was barrels, then it was grain... (within shouting distance of this marker); Gold Star Families Memorial Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Three bridges and a railroad trestle (within shouting distance of this marker); Entrepreneurs, Tradesmen and Laborers (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington.

Regarding Fish Really Need a Ladder Sometimes!. The website listed on this marker is incorrect. The website should be:

millershousemuseum.com

Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2024, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 158 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 23, 2024, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.