Rock Creek (Monocacy River tributary)
| Rock Creek | |
|---|---|
The confluence of Rock and Marsh Creek is north of the Pennsylvania/Maryland border by 12.7 arcseconds (c. 1907 map). | |
On July 2, 1863, "Wiedrich's battery [of] six rifled cannon also exchanged fire with one of Jones's batteries on the opposite side of Rock Creek", and snipers from a home on the East side fired on positions on the West side of the creek (on July 3, Confederates retreated across Rock Creek.) | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Region | Adams County |
| Townships | West: Cumberland, East: Mount Joy & Straban |
| Cities | Gettysburg, PA, Barlow, PA |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Susquehanna drainage divide |
| Mouth | Monocacy River |
| Basin size | 65 sq mi (170 km2) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | coordinates shown right-justified |
| • right | coordinates shown left-justified |
| Namesakes | Civil War: Rock Creek Rangers |
Rock Creek is an 18.9-mile-long (30.4 km) tributary of the Monocacy River in south-central Pennsylvania and serves as the border between Cumberland and Mount Joy townships. Rock Creek was used by the Underground Railroad (at McAllister's Mill, "slaves would slosh through the water to throw off the tracking dogs that were pursuing them") and flows near several Gettysburg Battlefield sites, including Culp's Hill, the Benner Hill artillery location, and Barlow Knoll.
| Rock Creek intersections, north-to-south | |||||
| Intersection | Location/Description | Coordinates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sources | On drainage divide with Conewago Creek Northernmost watershed point: Summit near Oak Hill Rd: Summit on Stone Jug Rd: Summit on Harrisburg Rd: |
39°55′17″N 77°11′21″W / 39.92145°N 77.18907°W
| |||
| Leedy Rd | 39°53′55″N 77°11′24″W / 39.898669°N 77.190043°W | ||||
| Shriver's Corner Rd | 39°53′38″N 77°11′40″W / 39.894012°N 77.194464°W | ||||
| Keller Rd | 39°53′18″N 77°11′57″W / 39.888435°N 77.199297°W | ||||
| Branch | Crosses US 15 at milepost 13.2 north of Hunterstown Rd bridge | 39°52′14″N 77°12′50″W / 39.87042°N 77.213781°W | |||
| Branch | Extends beyond Shriver's Corner Road (at Goldenville Rd) to just beyond Rentzel Rd: 39°54′43″N 77°11′44″W / 39.911909°N 77.19552°W | 39°51′53″N 77°13′07″W / 39.864656°N 77.21848°W | |||
| Boyd's Schoolhouse Rd | Cumberland/Straban township border | 39°51′24″N 77°13′24″W / 39.85667°N 77.22333°W | |||
| Survey line | Borough line | ||||
| "Site 59" on creek in Cumberland and Straban townships "intended for flood control". | |||||
| Blocher's Run | Flow from Marsh Creek (west) & Conewago Creek (north) triple pt on Oak Ridge:39°51′32″N 77°14′41″W / 39.858792°N 77.24483°W} | 39°50′52″N 77°13′33″W / 39.847665°N 77.225797°W | |||
US 15 Bus. |
Harrisburg Road site of former 1846 covered bridge built by Joseph Clapsaddle near Barlow Knoll | 39°50′41″N 77°13′22″W / 39.84472°N 77.22278°W | |||
| Run | drainage from the east | ||||
| Run | Drainage along former site of Alm's house from Gettysburg College's Quarry Lake & Oak Ridge triple point (with Willoughby/Pitzer Runs) | 39°50′17″N 77°13′17″W / 39.838126°N 77.221412°W | |||
| Stevens Creek | 39°50′13″N 77°13′17″W / 39.836882°N 77.221527°W | ||||
| Island | Depicted on 1916 Gettysburg National Military Park map | ||||
| Run | (Depicted on battlefield map at right) | ||||
| Railroad | Early's Confederates burned the trestle on June 27, 1863 (rebuilt days later & in 1912) | ||||
| US 30 | 1807 3-arch stone bridge of 60 ft (18 m), 1853 covered bridge, 1919 Lincoln Highway bridge, replacement | 39°50′54″N 77°13′11″W / 39.84833°N 77.21972°W | |||
| PA 116 | Site of former 1853 90-foot covered bridge built by John Finly and 1932 concrete bridge. | 39°49′51″N 77°13′4″W / 39.83083°N 77.21778°W | |||
| Survey line | Borough line | ||||
| Winebrenner Run | 39°49′47″N 77°13′05″W / 39.829632°N 77.217922°W | ||||
| Rock Creek Ravine | Location noted in several battle records | 39°49′35″N 77°13′03″W / 39.826369°N 77.217579°W | |||
| Jones Bridge Run? | Flows north of Culp's Hill to confluence just upstream of island | 39°49′20″N 77°13′03″W / 39.822117°N 77.217504°W | |||
| Survey line | 1893 Warren survey line for Gettysburg Battlefield crossed creek | ||||
| Benner Run | Flows southeast of Benner's Hill artillery location ("Ladys Run" in 1886) | 39°49′11″N 77°12′50″W / 39.819645°N 77.213974°W | |||
| Ford | between Spangler Spring and farm (Z. Tawney during the battle) | ||||
| Spangler Spring Run | Drainage southward from Stevens Knoll | 39°48′51″N 77°12′54″W / 39.814124°N 77.215079°W | |||
| Guinn Run | 39°48′39″N 77°12′52″W / 39.81083°N 77.21444°W | ||||
| Former site of McAllister's Mill dam (destroyed by 1870 flood) | |||||
| Run | (Depicted on battlefield map at right) | ||||
| Ford | 1889 road downstream of McAllister's Mill | ||||
| Baltimore Pike | 1802 turnpike bridge (north of PA 97 terminus) | 39°48′18″N 77°12′41″W / 39.80500°N 77.21139°W | |||
| Run | Flows under Baltimore Pike | 39°48′10″N 77°12′39″W / 39.802645°N 77.210825°W | |||
| Run | 39°47′55″N 77°12′28″W / 39.798701°N 77.207869°W | ||||
| Run | 39°47′38″N 77°12′33″W / 39.794015°N 77.209296°W | ||||
| US 15 | Near site of Battle of Gettysburg field hospital at George Bushman Farm:39°47′27″N 77°12′54″W / 39.79083°N 77.21500°W | ||||
| White Run | Drainage from Lake Heritage, Pennsylvania | 39°47′05″N 77°12′20″W / 39.784651°N 77.205552°W | |||
| Run | Drainage from Weikert Hill and Round Top, Pennsylvania | 39°46′52″N 77°12′42″W / 39.781234°N 77.211699°W | |||
| Wright Avenue Run | from Big Round Top | ||||
| Sachs Road | 1891 bridge | 39°46.950′N 77°12.387′W / 39.782500°N 77.206450°W | |||
| Little's Run | "Two Taverns Run" in 1901 when bridge was built at Little's Tavern headpoint near White Hall:39°47′25″N 77°06′46″W / 39.79027°N 77.112651°W |
39°46′45″N 77°12′45″W / 39.77928°N 77.212579°W | |||
| Soloman Road | 1895 steel Burr arch bridge "Lott's Bridge" at "Lott's fording" & 1977 ("Lott's Bridge") near Pine Bank Cemetery | 39°46.339′N 77°12.532′W / 39.772317°N 77.208867°W | |||
| Run | 39°46′18″N 77°12′43″W / 39.771634°N 77.212029°W | ||||
| Rock Creek Ford | Former ford just upstream of bend in creek with overhanging cliff | 39°46′17″N 77°13′09″W / 39.771504°N 77.219124°W | |||
| Distributary | Former headpoint of millrace | 39°45′30″N 77°13′31″W / 39.758325°N 77.225368°W | |||
| Dam ruins | Former 1798 Black's/Horner's Mill dam to provide head for millrace (rebuilt 1937): 150 | 39°46′17″N 77°13′09″W / 39.771504°N 77.219124°W | |||
| Plum Run | Named "Rock" Run in 1821 | 39°45′32″N 77°13′37″W / 39.758969°N 77.226806°W | |||
| PA 134 | Taneytown Rd at Barlow: 1841 covered bridge, c. 1872 replacement, 1923 & 1989 concrete bridges | 39°45′24″N 77°13′53″W / 39.75667°N 77.23139°W | |||
| Run | Flow from southwest of Big Round Top | 39°45′16″N 77°13′58″W / 39.754449°N 77.232642°W | |||
| Run | 39°45′15″N 77°13′58″W / 39.754152°N 77.232771°W | ||||
| Cromer's Ford | Former ford for Chapel Road route south to Taneytown Rd (horse team, wagon, & driver swept away in 1875) | 39°45′14″N 77°13′57″W / 39.75402°N 77.232599°W | |||
| Run | Upstream of site of former ford at Benner Rd | 39°44′44″N 77°13′57″W / 39.745606°N 77.232385°W | |||
| Run | Near former intersection of Taneytown Rd & Basehoar-Roth Rd, and upstream of former Swetland Rd ford | 39°44′24″N 77°13′08″W / 39.740095°N 77.218995°W | |||
| Mason-Dixon Rd | ("Rock Creek Rd") site of 192-foot, single-span 1890 Burr arch bridge (east span collapsed January 5, 1946) | 39°43.800′N 77°13.819′W / 39.730000°N 77.230317°W | |||
| Lousy Run | Near The Links | 39°43′24″N 77°13′44″W / 39.723445°N 77.228887°W | |||
| Mouth | Confluence with Marsh Creek ("The Points") | 39°43′12.7″N 77°13′3.7″W / 39.720194°N 77.217694°W | |||
