History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia | Page 6

Tertiary drainage, which might be supposed to determine their
elevations, becomes less effective in that direction.
Probably this mountain does not exceed an average of more than 300
feet above the surrounding country, though at some stages it may attain
an altitude of 700 feet. Rising near the Potomac into one of its highest
peaks, in the same range it becomes alternately depressed and elevated,
until reaching the point of its divergence in the neighborhood of
Waterford. There it assumes the appearance of an elevated and hilly
region, deeply indented by the myriad streams that rise in its bosom.
On reaching the Leesburg and Snicker's Gap Turnpike road, a distance

of twelve miles, it expands to three miles in width and continues much
the same until broken by Goose Creek and its tributary, the North Fork,
when it gradually loses itself in the hills of Goose Creek and Little
River, before reaching the Ashby's Gap Turnpike.
The Catoctin range throughout Loudoun pursues a course parallel to the
Blue Ridge, the two forming an intermediate valley or baselevel plain,
ranging in width from 8 to 12 miles, and in altitude from 350 to 730
feet above sea level. Allusion to the physiography of this valley--so
called only by reason of its relation to the mountains on either side--has
been made elsewhere in this department.
Immediately south of Aldie, on Little River, near the point of
interruption of Catoctin Mountain, another range commences and
extends into Fauquier County. It is known as "Bull Run Mountain," but
might rightly be considered an indirect continuation of the elevation of
the Catoctin, its course and some of its features corresponding very
nearly with that mountain save only that it is higher than any of the
ranges of the latter, excepting the western.
East of the Catoctin the tumultuous continuity of mountains subsides
into gentle undulations, an almost unbroken succession of sloping
elevations and depressions presenting an as yet unimpaired variety and
charm of landscape. However, on the extreme eastern edge of this
section, level stretches of considerable extent are a conspicuous feature
of the topography.
Three or four detached hills, rising to an elevation of 150 or 200 feet
above the adjacent country, are the only ones of consequence met with
in this section.
COMPARATIVE ALTITUDES.
The hilly character of Loudoun is clearly shown by the following
exhibit of the elevation of points and places above tide-water. The
variations of altitude noted in this schedule are based upon conflicting
estimates and distinct measurements made at two or more points within
a given circumference and slightly removed one from the other.

Feet. Sterling 415 Ashburn 320 Leesburg 321 to 337 Clarke's Gap 578
to 634 Hamilton 454 to 521 Purcellville 546 to 553 Round Hill 558
Bluemont 680 to 730 Snicker's Gap 1,085 Neersville 626 Hillsborough
550 Waterford 360 Mount Gilead 600 Oatlands 270 Little River, near
Aldie 299 Middleburg 480 Potomac River, near Seneca Dam 188
Potomac River, at Point of Rocks 200 Potomac River, at Harper's Ferry
246
The whole of the county east of the Catoctin Mountain varies from 200
to 350 feet. The eastern base of the Blue Ridge has an elevation of
about 730 feet, and the highest peak of that range in Loudoun rises
1,600 feet above tide-water.
The Short Hills have an approximate altitude of 1,000 feet, while that
of the Catoctin Mountain varies from 300 to 700 feet. The valley
between the Blue Ridge and Catoctin Mountains varies from 350 to
730 feet in elevation.
From many vantage points along the Blue Ridge may be obtained
magnificent views of both the Loudoun and Shenandoah valleys. The
eye travels entirely across the fertile expanse of the latter to where, in
the far distance, the Alleghany and North Mountains rear their wooded
crests. A few of the summits offer even more extensive prospects. From
some nearly all of Loudoun, with a considerable area of Fairfax and
Fauquier, is in full view. Other more distant areas within visionary
range are portions of Prince William, Rappahannock, and Culpeper
counties, in Virginia, Frederick and Montgomery counties, in Maryland,
and even some of Prince George County, east of Washington City.
Westward, the view embraces Shenandoah, Frederick, Clarke and
Warren counties, in Virginia, Berkeley and Jefferson counties, in West
Virginia, Washington County, in Maryland, and some of the mountain
summits of Pennsylvania.
DRAINAGE.
The drainage of Loudoun can be divided into two provinces. One is the
Potomac province, which is drained by a system of small tributaries of
that stream. Its elevations are quite uniform and are referable to that

master stream, whose grade is largely determined by its great basin
beyond the "Catoctin belt." The second province is the region drained
by smaller streams, chief of which is Goose Creek. In this province the
drainage lines head