Allegheny River - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Allegheny River (historically, especially in New York state, also spelled Allegany River) is a principal tributary of the Ohio River, which it forms with the Monongahela River at the downtown Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle "point". The river is approximately 325 mi (523 km) long, in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. It drains a rural dissected plateau of 11,580 sq mi (29,992 km²) in the northern Allegheny Plateau, providing the northeasternmost drainage in the watershed of the Mississippi River. Its tributaries reach to within 8 mi (13 km) of the shore of Lake Erie in southwestern New York. The valley of the river has been one of the most productive areas of energy extraction in U.S. history, with extensive deposits of coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

Highlighted by maggie_diigo

The Allegheny rises in north central Pennsylvania, in central Potter County, approximately 10 mi (16 km) south of the New York border. It flows west past Coudersport then turns north into western New York State, looping westward across southern Cattaraugus County for approximately 30 mi (48 km), past St. Bonaventure University and Salamanca and forming the northern boundary of Allegany State Park before re-entering northwestern Pennsylvania approximately 20 mi (32 km) southeast of Jamestown, New York.

Highlighted by maggie_diigo

History

In the 16th century control of the river valley passed back-and-forth between Algonquian-speaking Shawnee and the Iroquois. By the time of the arrival of the French in the early 18th century, the Shawnee were once again in control and formed an alliance with the French against the incursion of British settlement across the Allegheny Mountains. The conflict over the expansion of British settlement into the Allegheny Valley and the surrounding Ohio Country was a primary cause of the French and Indian War in the 1750s. During the war, the village of Kittaning the principal Shawnee settlement on the river, was completely destroyed by British reprisal raids from central Pennsylvania.

Highlighted by maggie_diigo

During the 19th century, the river became a principal means of navigation in the upper Ohio valley, especially for the transport of coal.

Highlighted by maggie_diigo