The first view most travelers see of Germany Valley is from the scenic turn-off at the historical marker on U.S. Rt. 33 near the top of North Fork Mountain. The lush rolling fields far below, broken by scattered woodlands, neat farm buildings, and scattered hills and knobs, arouse the traveler's interest about this high mountain valley and its history.

      The North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River in present-day Pendleton County was settled largely by Germans. The first family to arrive in the valley were the Hinkles, who migrated from North Carolina in 1761. John Jacob and Maria Magdelena Hinkle, with their 12 children and their families, came to what is now known as Germany Valley, hoping to find inexpensive agricultural land in an area free from hostile Indian attacks. They were also attracted to this locality by the fertile limestone soils and gently rolling topography of the valley's bottomland. The Hinkles were quickly joined by the Teters and other German (Pennsylvania Dutch) families, some having migrated southwest following the ridges and valleys from Pennsylvania's Lebanon and Lancaster counties. In addition, a few German families moved west from Spottsylvania County, Virginia. These settlers brought the custom of placing hex signs on their barns. I have been told that this was the only section of the state where hex signs could be found at an early date on farm buildings.

      Since these families preserved their language and Old World customs and because the topography and climate reminded them of their ancestral home, this valley became known as German Settlement or Germany Valley. During this same period, many Scotch-Irish families also migrated into Pendleton County from the Valley of Virginia, and some of them bought land in Germany Valley.

      Germany Valley was criss-crossed by the famous Seneca Trail. Nearby Fort Seybert and Fort Upper Tract had been destroyed in Indian uprisings led by Killbuck, a Shawnee chieftain, in 1758. During 1762, to protect border settlements from Indian raids, the Hinkles built a stockade fort, aptly named Hinkle's Fort.

Today Hinkle's Fort no longer stands, but its site is marked by a large stone monument in the shape of an arrowhead which is enclosed by an iron fence. The site is located along the valley road leading east from Riverton.

      From the beginning, the economy of valley farms was based on forage crops and raising cattle, horses, milk cows, and sheep. The rich limestone soils and rolling farmland proved ideal to support a prosperous farm community. Poor roads and lack of turnpikes, however, made it difficult to reach markets in adjacent areas; thus, many farms became largely self-sufficient and settlers self-reliant and resourceful.

      During the Civil War, Pendleton County was a border area protected by neither Federal troops nor the Confederacy. Although areas around Seneca Rocks and the lower South Branch Valley were northern in sympathy, the upper North Fork, Germany Valley, and Franklin areas were strongly Confederate. Such divided counties, then so numerous in central West Virginia, were fragmented by internal strife, hardship, and uncertainty. Border county wars between partisan groups were continuous, and often county government ceased to operate effectively.

      Many Germany Valley men joined partisan units such as the Pendleton Scouts, Pendleton Rifles, and Dixie Boys, which fought for the Confederacy. In the northern parts of the county, the Swamp Dragons or ÒSwampsÓ were staunch defenders of the Union. Clashes between these units were common and bitter, with members of the same families often belonging to units with different political loyalties. Raids by Union army units and Union partisans such as the Swamps were common in the valley.

      Due to Pendleton County's isolation and poor transportation facilities, large saw mills were not found there during the last part of the nineteenth century. However, small sash and circular saw mills were present. With fine timber stands in coves and on moist slopes, the best species, particularly black walnut, were harvested, sawn, and taken by horse and wagon to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Keyser, some 30 miles or more north of the valley. In the northwestern part of the county, much of the timber was hauled by logging railroad to the Parsons Pulp and Lumber Company mill at Horton, Randolph County. In general, however, much of the virgin forest was cut to supply local needs, and often good logs were actually burned in land-clearing operations.

      The limestone bedrock eventually attracted quarries, and today the Greer Limestone Plant in Riverton, a part of Greer Industries, Inc., does a thriving business. The various limestone layers quarried are unique in that they are not only rich in calcium carbonate, but have significant amounts of potassium and phosphorus. These make the lime of particular value for fertilizing farm pasture land and lawns and for producing steel and coal.

      The limestone bedrock has produced a typical karst topography, with numerous sink holes, sinking streams, surface stone, and irregular ridges apparent in every landscape. Such topography indicates great cave country.

      Seneca Caverns, a commercial cave, offers many attractions for visitors. It features wooden walkways, electric lights, and colored lights which make the calcite crystals in the flowstone sparkle, thus heightening the effect of the numerous spectacular formations. At one time Seneca Caverns was the refuge of the Seneca Indians. It is believed that one room was the council chamber of Bald Eagle, chief of the Senecas.

      Just 200 yards south of Seneca Caverns is Stratosphere Balloon Cave. This cave is named for a large ribbon flowstone, 18 feet in diameter and reaching 25 feet to the ceiling. It resembles a stratosphere balloon just ready to lift from its mooring. At publication time, this cave was closed to the public, but plans are to open it as a commercial or semi-wild cave.

      The valley also features numerous gaps, or passageways, cut by streams over millions of years. Names such as Judy Gap, Bennett Gap, Teter Gap, and Harper Gap commemorate early families of the area. Features of the land giving a further glimpse into early family names are the Bland Hills, Dolly Ridge, Harman Knob, Harper Knob, Mallow Knob, and Ketterman Knob.

      Interesting man-made monuments in the valley include the fitting memorial to Sgt. Clinton M. Hedrick, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in Germany during World War II. Another is the Harman Memorial, which commemorates the arrival of this family to the valley and marks the location of their log home in the Harman Hills.

      Like Canaan Valley, Germany Valley has much to offer people of all ages. Rich in history, spectacular scenery, and picturesque farms, a trip through this country is a rewarding and memorable experience.

      Dr. Kenneth H. Carvell is a retired forestry professor from West Virginia University. He has been one of the most frequent contributors to Wonderful West Virginia with 64 stories published, the first one in 1975.