"The Proper Designation Is River." - the Chickahominy in 1888

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF CHICKAHOMINY CREEK (RIVER) 

VIRGINIA UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE

Washington DC- December 19, 1888

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of a preliminary examination of Chickahominy Creek Virginia which was authorized by the act of August 11, 1888, and was assigned to me by your order of September 29, 1888. The designation of creek used in the act of appropriation is a misnomer. The proper designation is "river."   

The name Chickahominy Creek can not be found in the Gazetteer nor in the maps of Virginia. There can be little doubt that Chickahominy River was intended, the word creek was employed to designate the part of the river above the head of navigation. This part of the river was described in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1875; page 170 Part II  At that time its improvement was not deemed advisable and recommendation was withheld until the bars had been removed in the lower part of the river between Windsor Shades and the mouth, a distance of about 27 miles. The improvement of this part of the river is now completed in accordance with the original project and it seems proper therefore to consider the propriety of beginning the much needed improvement above the Shades. 

Between Long Bridges and Forge Bridges, Providence Forge, a distance of about 10 miles, the river may be generally described as a cypress swamp of from one half to 1 mile in width intersected by a channel from 30 to 80 feet in width which is crossed on the Mechanicsville road by a causeway and six bridges. This swamp is a tangle of bogs not favorably known to the Army during the late war. 

It is not proposed to improve this part of the river. 

From Providence Forge, Forge Bridges to Windsor Shades, a distance of about 5 miles ,may be regarded more favorably. 

Windsor Shades Bar is at the head of the improvement begun by the Government in 1878.  

-Report of the Chief of Engineers U.S. Army, Part 2  Annual report (United States. War Dept.)
 Author United States. Army. Corps of Engineers



I like the line, "a tangle of bogs not favorably known to the Army during the late war."