Covered bridge at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Yellow Breeches Creek, also known as Callapatscink Creek, Callapatschink Creek (

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

for "where it returns") or Shawnee Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
accessed August 8, 2011

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 drainage ...

of the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

in central

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, ...

, USA. There is no agreed upon explanation for the name Yellow Breeches Creek, which is found in land warrants as early as 1736.

Description

In 1718

Peter Chartier Peter Chartier (16901759) (Anglicized version of Pierre Chartier, sometimes written Chartiere, Chartiers, Shartee or Shortive) was a fur trader of mixed Shawnee and French parentage. Multilingual, he later became a leader and a band chief among ...

and his father Martin established a

trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...

about a mile north of the Yellow Breeches along the

. Chartiers Landing was located just off the river between what are now 15th and 16th Streets in

New Cumberland, Pennsylvania New Cumberland is a borough in easternmost Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. New Cumberland was incorporated on March 21, 1831. The population was 7,277 at the 2010 census. The borough is noted for its historic downtown which includes ...

. Yellow Breeches Creek rises on the northwestern side of South Mountain, in the

Michaux State Forest Michaux State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #1. The main offices are located in Fayetteville in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA. The Michaux State Forest is in several tracts covering mo ...

, and collects the drainage of several hollows along the mountainside. It flows north through Walnut Bottom and turns east to run down the

Cumberland Valley The Cumberland Valley is a northern constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley, within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Appalachian Trail crosses through the valley. Geography The valley is bound to th ...

, paralleled by an ex-

Reading Railroad The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and commercial rail transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states that operated from 1924 until its 1976 acquisition by Conrail. Commonly calle ...

line. It passes through Huntsdale, site of the Huntsdale State Fish Hatchery. The creek begins to meander, and swings around the north side of Mount Holly Springs. Just below the town, it is joined by

Mountain Creek Mountain Creek is a ski resort in Vernon Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located on New Jersey Route 94, from the George Washington Bridge. Mountain Creek contains of skiing area, night skiing, snowboarding, a ...

Old Town Run Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

enters just before the creek passes along the south side of Boiling Springs and the spring-fed lake that gives the town its name. The Boiling Springs Lake tributary (photo) enters Yellow Breeches Creek east of the town. The tributary's crystal clear water is a popular trout fishing spot. The creek passes through Williams Grove and meets Dogwood Run just downstream. Below Williams Grove, it forms the boundary between

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

and

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

counties. It flows through the campus of

Messiah College Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. History The school was founded as Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. O ...

, then is joined by Stony Run and enters a series of sharp meanders as the railroad line swings away to the north. Pippins Run joins it, and it flows east to

Lisburn Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...

, where it makes a sharp turn to flow northwest. It turns north, and then makes a number of meanders to turn east, cutting through the suburbs of New Cumberland. Cedar Run enters near the top of the northernmost meander. It cuts east, then north again, emptying into the Susquehanna. Known for its great fishing, the Yellow Breeches is a popular spot for fly fishers who flock to the mile-long catch and release section near Boiling Springs. Outfitters including Precision Fly & Tackle in Mount Holly Springs offer equipment and advice. The Yellow Breeches is stocked by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as well as the Yellow Breeches Anglers' Club. It is one of the designated

Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers are rivers that are designated "scenic" according to the criteria of the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act (P.L. 1277, Act No. 283 as amended by Act 110, May 7, 1982). The scenic rivers are managed by a variety of State age ...

. Several protected species designated by the state of Pennsylvania can be found in the Yellow Breeches Creek Watershed. The Bog Turtle and the Eastern Mud Salamander are listed as Pennsylvania threatened species, and the

Sedge Wren The sedge wren (''Cistothorus stellaris'') is a small and secretive passerine bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is widely distributed in North America. It is often found in wet grasslands and meadows where it nests in the tall grasses and sed ...

is listed as a Pennsylvania endangered species. The

Etters Bridge Etters Bridge, also known as Green Lane Bridge, is a historic Pratt truss bridge in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County and Fairview Township, York County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1889, and measures and overall. The wrought iron bridg ...

crosses Yellow Breeches Creek in Fairview Township and

Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania Lower Allen Township is a township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 17,980 at the 2010 census. The township has State Correctional Institution – Camp Hill, and it formerly had the headquarters of the Pen ...

. ''Note:'' This includes The

Gilbert Bridge The Gilbert Bridge, also known as the Hall Estate Bridge, is an historic, American Pratt truss bridge that is located in Monaghan Township, York County, Pennsylvania and Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the ...

crosses Yellow Breeches Creek in Monaghan Township,

York County, Pennsylvania York County ( Pennsylvania Dutch: Yarrick Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 456,438. Its county seat is York. The county was created on August 19, 1749, from part of Lancaster ...

and

Upper Allen Township, Pennsylvania Upper Allen Township is a township (Pennsylvania), township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 23,183 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 18,059 at the 2010 U ...

. ''Note:'' This includes

Tributaries

* Cedar Run * Pippins Run * Stony Run * Dogwood Run *

* Boiling Springs Lake Run

References

External links

U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations
{{authority control Rivers of Pennsylvania Tributaries of the Susquehanna River Rivers of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Rivers of York County, Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers of Pennsylvania Protected areas of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Protected areas of York County, Pennsylvania

Description

Tributaries

See also

References

External links