Goshen Pass
Encyclopedia
Goshen Pass is a water gap
, or gorge, in the Little North Mountain, formed by the passage of the Maury River
, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) northwest of Lexington
in Rockbridge County
, Virginia
. State Route 39
traverses the pass along the banks of the Maury River.
Goshen Pass is the site of the Matthew Fontaine Maury
memorial overlooking the Maury river. After Maury's death, his body was taken from the Virginia Military Institute
in Lexington to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond
. Along the way the coach stopped at the Goshen gap, per Maury's request, to pick some of his favorite flowers, Rhododendrons, and mountain-ivy before continuing onward to Richmond. Subsequently a memorial to him was placed there, consisting of a vertical stone monument, showing Maury's face and an inscription a poem written by Mrs. Margaret Junkin Preston as cited on the webpage. In addition, high above the river below, a huge anchor and chain was placed, honoring Maury's naval service. Matthew Fontaine Maury is buried between Virginian presidents John Tyler
and James Monroe
.
Water gap
A water gap is an opening or notch which flowing water has carved through a mountain range. Water gaps often offer a practical route for road and rail transport to cross mountain ridges.- Geology :...
, or gorge, in the Little North Mountain, formed by the passage of the Maury River
Maury River
The Maury River is a tributary of the James River in west-central Virginia in the United States. Via the James River, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.The Maury flows for its entire length in Rockbridge County...
, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) northwest of Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
in Rockbridge County
Rockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. State Route 39
Virginia State Route 39
Virginia State Route 39 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from the West Virginia state line near Mountain Grove, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 39 , east to U.S. Route 11 in East Lexington. SR 39 connects Lexington with several...
traverses the pass along the banks of the Maury River.
Goshen Pass is the site of the Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury , United States Navy was an American astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator....
memorial overlooking the Maury river. After Maury's death, his body was taken from the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
in Lexington to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Along the way the coach stopped at the Goshen gap, per Maury's request, to pick some of his favorite flowers, Rhododendrons, and mountain-ivy before continuing onward to Richmond. Subsequently a memorial to him was placed there, consisting of a vertical stone monument, showing Maury's face and an inscription a poem written by Mrs. Margaret Junkin Preston as cited on the webpage. In addition, high above the river below, a huge anchor and chain was placed, honoring Maury's naval service. Matthew Fontaine Maury is buried between Virginian presidents John Tyler
John Tyler
John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor...
and James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
.
External links
- http://naval-history.us/Goshen-Pass-Memorial/ (original website)
- http://www.webcitation.org/5e8V4GgWN (archived, text only)