Tug Fork

Tug Fork
Tug Fork seen southeast ofMatewan, West Virginia
Map of theBig Sandy Riverwatershed, with itsLevisa Fork(left) and Tug Fork (right) tributaries shown
Location
Country	United States
State	Kentucky,Virginia,West Virginia
Counties	McDowell WV,Buchanan VA,Pike KY,Mingo WV,Martin KY,Lawrence KY,Wayne WV
Physical characteristics
Source	Big Stone Ridge
• location	McDowell County,West Virginia
• coordinates	37°16′38″N81°26′06″W
• elevation	2,604 ft (794 m)
Mouth	Big Sandy River
• location	Louisa,Kentucky
• coordinates	38°07′05″N82°36′06″W
• elevation	545 ft (166 m)
Length	159 mi (256 km)
Discharge
• location	Kermit,West Virginia
• average	1,457 cu ft/s (41.3 m3/s)
• minimum	14 cu ft/s (0.40 m3/s)
• maximum	35,400 cu ft/s (1,000 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Big Creek,Dry Fork,Panther Creek,Peter Creek,Pond Creek,Turkey Creek
• right	Elkhorn Creek,Mate Creek,Pigeon Creek,Marrowbone Creek,Jennie Creek

TheTug Forkis atributaryof theBig Sandy River,159 miles (256 km) long,in southwesternWest Virginia,southwesternVirginia,and easternKentuckyin theUnited States.Via the Big Sandy andOhiorivers, it is part of thewatershedof theMississippi River.

It is also known as theTug Fork Riveror as theTug River.TheUnited States Board on Geographic Namessettled on "Tug Fork" as the stream's official name in 1975.

The Tug Fork rises in theAppalachian Mountainsof extreme southwestern West Virginia, in southernMcDowell County,near the Virginia state line. It flows in ameanderingcourse through the mountains generally northwest, pastWelch.Approximately 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Welch, it briefly forms approximately 4 miles (6 km) of the state line between West Virginia (northeast) and Virginia (southwest). For the remainder of its course it forms part of the boundary between West Virginia (east) and Kentucky (west), flowing northwest pastWilliamson, West Virginia.It joins theLevisa ForkatLouisa, Kentuckyto form the Big Sandy.

The river flows through an especially remote mountainous region in its upper course. The river valley betweenPike County, KentuckyandMingo County, West Virginiawas the scene of the infamousHatfield–McCoy feudin the late 19th century.

ToponymistGeorge R. Stewartwrites about the origin of the name "Tug Fork". In 1756 a small army of Virginians and Cherokees conducted theSandy Creek Expeditionagainst the Shawnee. At one point they killed and ate two buffaloes and hung their hides on a tree. Later they returned and, being out of provisions, took the hides and cut them into thin strips called "tugs". These they roasted and ate.For this reason, the story goes, the stream was given the name "Tug." Stewart also points out another possible origin. Even if the story is true, the second explanation may have reinforced the name. In the Cherokee language "tugulu" refers to the forks of a stream, as in theTugaloo Riverand other streams in former Cherokee lands named "tug".

See also

• List of Kentucky rivers
• List of Virginia rivers
• List of West Virginia rivers
• River borders of U.S. states
• Martin County Sludge Spill

External links

Media related toTug Forkat Wikimedia Commons

• Hatfield-McCoy: Reunion of the Millennium