Little Falls is an area of rapids located where the Potomac River crosses the Atlantic Seaboard fall line where Washington, DC; Maryland; and Virginia meet. Descending from the harder and older rocks of the Piedmont Plateau to the softer sediments of the Atlantic coastal plain, it is the first upstream "cataract", or barrier, to navigation encountered on the Potomac River.[2] It may be viewed from the heavily trafficked Chain Bridge, about a half mile downstream. It is named in contradistinction to Great Falls, about 5 miles further upstream.
Little Falls
View of the river near Little Falls from the Chain Bridge
Captain John Smith (1580–1631) of England was the first European to explore the Potomac as far as Little Falls. When he arrived there in 1608 he noted that "as for deer, buffaloes, bears and turkeys, the woods do swarm with them and the soil is extremely fertile."[3] By 1757, the name of a nearby Anglican Church building — "The Falls Church" — referenced this location near the main tobacco rolling road circumventing Little Falls. The local settlement of Falls Church, Virginia, which grew up there, soon followed suit.
^Bradley E. Gernand and Nan Netherton, Falls Church—A Virginia Village Revisited. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company, 2000. Page 13, citing interviews with Fairfax County archeologists Michael Johnson and Martha Williams.
^Gernand and Netherton, Falls Church, p. 13, citing Fairfax Harrison, The Landmarks of Old Prince William, pp. 143, 148.
February 15, 2024
little, falls, potomac, river, little, falls, area, rapids, located, where, potomac, river, crosses, atlantic, seaboard, fall, line, where, washington, maryland, virginia, meet, descending, from, harder, older, rocks, piedmont, plateau, softer, sediments, atla. Little Falls is an area of rapids located where the Potomac River crosses the Atlantic Seaboard fall line where Washington DC Maryland and Virginia meet Descending from the harder and older rocks of the Piedmont Plateau to the softer sediments of the Atlantic coastal plain it is the first upstream cataract or barrier to navigation encountered on the Potomac River 2 It may be viewed from the heavily trafficked Chain Bridge about a half mile downstream It is named in contradistinction to Great Falls about 5 miles further upstream Little FallsView of the river near Little Fallsfrom the Chain BridgeLocationBorder of Arlington County and Fairfax County Virginia Montgomery County Maryland and Washington D C Coordinates38 56 00 N 77 07 05 W 38 93333 N 77 11806 W 38 93333 77 11806 1 TypeCascadeElevation13 feet 4 0 m WatercoursePotomac RiverCaptain John Smith 1580 1631 of England was the first European to explore the Potomac as far as Little Falls When he arrived there in 1608 he noted that as for deer buffaloes bears and turkeys the woods do swarm with them and the soil is extremely fertile 3 By 1757 the name of a nearby Anglican Church building The Falls Church referenced this location near the main tobacco rolling road circumventing Little Falls The local settlement of Falls Church Virginia which grew up there soon followed suit Namesakes editLittle Falls Dam Potomac River Little Falls Reservoir Montgomery County Maryland Little Falls Branch Montgomery County Maryland Little Falls Park Montgomery County Maryland Little Falls Parkway Montgomery County Maryland The Falls Church Falls Church Virginia est 1732 References edit Little Falls Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Bradley E Gernand and Nan Netherton Falls Church A Virginia Village Revisited Virginia Beach The Donning Company 2000 Page 13 citing interviews with Fairfax County archeologists Michael Johnson and Martha Williams Gernand and Netherton Falls Church p 13 citing Fairfax Harrison The Landmarks of Old Prince William pp 143 148 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little Falls Potomac River amp oldid 1173539067, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
