Patterson Creek is a 51.2 miles (82.4 km) tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the North Branch Potomac River in West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

's Eastern Panhandle, in the United States. It enters the North Branch east of Cumberland

Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, with its headwaters located in Grant County, West Virginia

Grant County, West Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,299 people, 4,591 households, and 3,273 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 6,105 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...

. Patterson Creek is the watershed for two-thirds of Mineral County

Mineral County, West Virginia

Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...

.

History

White settlers came into the Patterson Creek Valley around Frankfort (now Fort Ashby

Fort Ashby, West Virginia

Fort Ashby is an census-designated place in Mineral County, West Virginia along Patterson Creek. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 1,380 at the 2010 census...

) between the years 1732 and 1736. The surnames of Casey, Pancake, Foreman, and Van Meter were the first to settle the valley. After the defeat of General Edward Braddock

Edward Braddock

General Edward Braddock was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for the 13 colonies during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War...

 at the Battle of the Monongahela

Battle of the Monongahela

The Battle of the Monongahela, also known as the Battle of the Wilderness, took place on 9 July 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, at Braddock's Field in what is now Braddock, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh...

 (9 July 1755) the white settlers of the Allegheny Mountains

Allegheny Mountains

The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...

 were largely unprotected from a series of Shawnee

Shawnee

The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...

 and Delaware

Lenape

The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...

 Indian raids. In October 1755, in an effort to provide some respite, two forts were raised on Patterson Creek.

Bridges

Bridge	Route	Location
Rada Road Bridge	Rada Road	2 miles south of Burlington Burlington, West Virginia Burlington is an unincorporated census-designated place in Mineral County, West Virginia located along U.S. Route 50 where it crosses Pattersons Creek. As of the 2010 census, its population was 182. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Northwestern Turnpike Northwestern Turnpike The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia , important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1830s. In modern times, west of Winchester, Virginia, U.S...  Bridge	US 50	Burlington Burlington, West Virginia Burlington is an unincorporated census-designated place in Mineral County, West Virginia located along U.S. Route 50 where it crosses Pattersons Creek. As of the 2010 census, its population was 182. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Fort Cocke Fort Cocke Fort Cocke was a stockade, made of wooden palisades up stream from Fort Ashby. It was a square ninety feet on a side and enclosed about 1/5 acre. Blockhouses were built at each of the four corners. A barracks to house fifty men was constructed within the stockade.It was built by Captain William...  Bridge	Cabin Run Road	Headsville Headsville, West Virginia Headsville is an unincorporated community in Mineral County, West Virginia, USA. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. It lies between U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 46 alongside Pattersons Creek....
Camp Minco Bridge	Patterson Creek Road	Camp Minco
West Virginia Route 46 Bridge	WV 46	Intersection of WV 46 and Patterson Creek Road
George Run Road Bridge	George Run	5 miles east of Fort Ashby Fort Ashby, West Virginia Fort Ashby is an census-designated place in Mineral County, West Virginia along Patterson Creek. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 1,380 at the 2010 census...
William E. Shuck William E. Shuck, Jr. William Edward Shuck, Jr. was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Korean War on July 3, 1952....  Memorial Bridge	WV 28	Fort Ashby Fort Ashby, West Virginia Fort Ashby is an census-designated place in Mineral County, West Virginia along Patterson Creek. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 1,380 at the 2010 census...
Low Water Bridge	Dan's Run Road	Patterson Creek Patterson Creek, West Virginia Patterson Creek is an unincorporated community in Mineral County, West Virginia, USA. It lies at the northeastern end of the county, and is named for Patterson Creek which empties into the North Branch Potomac River here....
B&O Railroad	B&O Main Line	Patterson Creek Patterson Creek, West Virginia Patterson Creek is an unincorporated community in Mineral County, West Virginia, USA. It lies at the northeastern end of the county, and is named for Patterson Creek which empties into the North Branch Potomac River here....