The Kiskiminetas River (commonly referred to as the Kiski
by locals) is a
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
of the
Allegheny River, approximately long, in Western
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
The region stretching from the northern side of
Harmar Township, Pennsylvania
Harmar Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,136 at the 2020 census.
The township was named after Harmar Denny, a U.S. congressman and son of Ebenezer Denny.
Geography
According to th ...
to the Kiskiminetas towns is often referred to by the locals as the Alle-Kiski Valley after the rivers.
Course
The Kiskiminetas River is formed at
Saltsburg, on the border between
Westmoreland and
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
counties, by the confluence of the
Conemaugh River
The Conemaugh River is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland, Indiana, and Cambria counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The name means 'Otter Creek', originating from the Unami-Lenape language word ''kwənəmuxkw'' ...
and
Loyalhanna Creek. It flows northwest in a
meander
A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex ba ...
ing course past
Avonmore,
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
,
Vandergrift,
Hyde Park and
Leechburg
Leechburg is a borough in southern Armstrong County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. A population of 2,149 residents live within the borough limits as of the 2020 census, according to US Census Bureau. Leechburg was fo ...
. It joins the Allegheny River near
Freeport at
Schenley, approximately northeast of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
.
The Kiski-Conemaugh watershed includes much of the historic
coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal is formed when ...
-producing region of Western Pennsylvania. The water quality is considered degraded by numerous abandoned mine drainages in its upper reaches and tributaries, leading to on-going efforts by federal, state, and private agencies to improve the water quality of the river. The
Kittanning Path
The Kittanning Path was a major east-west Native American trail that crossed the Allegheny Mountains barrier ridge connecting the Susquehanna River valleys in the center of Pennsylvania to the highlands of the Appalachian Plateau and thence to ...
, a major trail in the region used by
Native Americans and early
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
an settlers, crossed the river at a ford near present-day Leechburg.
Political subdivisions
The course of the Kiskiminetas River traverses the following political subdivisions, named in order of encounter traveling downstream.
*
Saltsburg
*
Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County
*
Conemaugh Township, Indiana County
*
Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
*
Bell Township, Westmoreland County
*
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
*
Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County
*
East Vandergrift
*
Vandergrift
*
Parks Township, Armstrong County
*
Leechburg
Leechburg is a borough in southern Armstrong County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. A population of 2,149 residents live within the borough limits as of the 2020 census, according to US Census Bureau. Leechburg was fo ...
*
West Leechburg
*
Gilpin Township, Armstrong County
Tributaries
(Mouth at the Allegheny River)
*Elder Run
*Penn Run
*Brady Run
*Guffy Run
*
Carnahan Run
*Pine Run
*Beaver Run
*Roaring Run
**Rattling Run (also called Jackson's Run)
*Flat Run
*Wolford Run
*Long Run
*Sulphur Run
*Blacklegs Creek
**Big Run
**Marshall Run
**Harpers Run
**Nesbit Run
**Hooper Run
**Whisky Run
*
Loyalhanna Creek
*
Conemaugh River
The Conemaugh River is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland, Indiana, and Cambria counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The name means 'Otter Creek', originating from the Unami-Lenape language word ''kwənəmuxkw'' ...
Blacklegs Creek
Etymology
There is no definite interpretation of the origin of the name. It may come from a Native American phrase ''Kithanne'', meaning "Place of the largest stream." According to regional historians in the area, the name has historically had several other possible meanings, including: "river of the big fish" and "plenty of walnuts." Robert Walker Smith in his "History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania" (Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883) reported that
John Heckewelder
John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder (March 12, 1743 – January 21, 1823) was an American missionary for the Moravian Church.
Biography
John Heckewelder was born in Bedford, England and came to Pennsylvania in 1754. After finishing his education, ...
(a Moravian writer, explorer, and historian who wrote about the Lenape and other tribes in Western Pennsylvania in the 18th century) claimed that the name is "corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight. In this case, the etymology is: Gisch-gu---day; gisch-que---today; gieschapen---it is daybreak; manitoon---to make. It was probably the word of command, given by a warrior to his comrades at night to break up camp and resume the journey, or war-path." Smith also described another possible meaning from another source: "It is said in McCullough's Narrative, that the Indians called this river Kee-ak-ksheman-nit-toos, signifying 'cut spirit'." Smith noted that he preferred Heckewelder's definition. It is also possible that "Kiskiminetas" means "clear, clean stream of many bends."
See also
*
List of crossings of the Kiskiminetas River
*
List of rivers of Pennsylvania
This is a list of streams and rivers in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Delaware Bay
Chesapeake Bay
*'' ...
*
List of tributaries of the Allegheny River
This article contains a list of tributaries of the Allegheny River, a stream in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. (Mouth at the Ohio River)
New York Sources:
* Oswayo Creek (Portville, Cattaraugus Co., NY)
* Dodge Creek (Allega ...
References
External links
U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations
{{authority control
Rivers of Pennsylvania
Tributaries of the Allegheny River
Rivers of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Rivers of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
Rivers of Indiana County, Pennsylvania