A draft is a regional American term for a geographical feature. A draft is a gorge, gully, ravine, or valley that contains a small river or creek.[1][2] The term is commonly used near the Appalachian Moutains of north-central Pennsylvania and near the border of Virginia and West Virginia.[1] Jan DeBlieu notes that the term is rarely used outside of these three locations.[1]

Other regional terms for geographical features that are similar to a draft include cove, draw, glen, gorge, gulch, and hollow. The term cove is used in the Great Smokey Mountains of Westerh North Carolina and East Tennessee and is "a sheltered valley mainly or entirely enclosed by ridges and having a relatively level floor, arable land, and a single drainage outlet".[3]

In many cases, the geographical draft became part of the name of an area. For example, Ramseys Draft Wilderness in the George Washington National Forest of Virginia includes the geographical feature, Ramseys Draft.[1] Stuarts Draft is a census-designated place in Augusta County, Virginia.[4] It was named for Thomas Stuart, an early land owner in the area, and for its small valley, historically called a draft.[2]

In a few cases, the draft's name has shifted from the valley to its stream, such as Hughes Draft (also known as Hughes Creek) in Alleghany County, Vriginia; Jericho Draft in Greenbrier County, West Virginia; and Whitehead Draft in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.[5][6][7] Sometimes the same name refers to both a valley and a creek, such as Back Draft in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.[8][9]

List of Drafts

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Following is a list of drafts found in United States Geological Survey topographic maps and publications, unless otherwise indicated.[10]

Place name Feature type County State References
Back Draft Valley Bath County Virginia [11]
Back Draft (aka Jenny Gwin Draft) Valley Highland County Virginia [12]
Back Draft Stream Pocahontas County West Virginia [9]
Back Draft Valley Pocahontas County West Virginia [8]
Baker Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia [13]
Barracks Draft Valley Highland County Virginia [14]
Baughman Draft Valley Webster County West Virginia [15]
Bear Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia [16]
Bee Tree Draft Valley Clinton County Pennsylvania [17]
Bell Draft Valley Elk County Pennsylvania [18]
Big Draft Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia [19]
Big Draft Run Stream Greenbrier County West Virginia [20]
Big Draft Wilderness Land reserve Greenbrier County West Virginia [21]
Big Lick Draft Valley Bath County Virginia [22]
Big Spring Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania [23]
Black Gum Draft Valley Highland County Virginia [24]
Bloom Draft Valley Centre County Pennsylvania [25]
Bolar Draft (aka Boler's Draft, Bolers Draft, and Bollers Draft) Valley Bath County Virginia
Briery Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Broad Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Buckhorn Draft (aka Buck Lick Hollow) Valley Bath County Virginia
Carroll Draft Stream Highland County Virginia
Chadwick Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Chair Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Chapin Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Claylick Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Cole Draft Valley Elk County Pennsylvania
Dowells Draft (aka Dowell Draft) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Dry Draft Valley Clearfield County Pennsylvania
East Branch Dowells Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
English Draft Valley Elk County Pennsylvania
Epling Draft (aka Jacob Epling Draft) Valley Giles County Virginia [26]
Epling Draft (aka White Rock Branch) Stream Giles County Virginia [27]
Erwin Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Foley Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Frames Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Gore Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Gorman Draft Valley Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Grassy Field Hollow Valley Highland County Virginia
Gum Draft Valley Clinton County Pennsylvania
Hamilton Draft (aka Hamilton Branch) Stream Augusta County Virginia
Hamilton Draft (aka Broadway) Flat Augusta County Virginia
Hamilton Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Hamiton Draft (aka Hamiton Branch) Stream Augusta County Virginia
Hickman Draft (aka Hicklins Draft) Valley Bath County Virginia
Hickman Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Hodges Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Holloway Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Hughes Draft (aka Hughes Creek) Stream Alleghany County Virginia [5]
Hulit Draft Stream Highland County Virginia
Hulit Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Humphreys Draft Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia
Indian Draft Valley Alleghany County Virginia
Indian Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Indian Draft Valley Monroe County West Virginia
Ingram Draft Valley Rockbridge County Virginia
Jacob Epling Draft (aka Epling Draft) Valley Giles County Virginia
Jenny Gwin Draft (aka Back Draft) Valley Highland County Virginia [28]
Jericho Draft Stream Greenbrier County West Virginia [6]
John Bolar Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Johnson Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Jonas Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Kennedy Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Kenilworth Draft (aka Grassy Field Hollow) Valley Highland County Virginia
Knox Lick Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Laurel Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Laurel Swamp Draft Valley Clearfield County Pennsylvania
Layton Draft Valley Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Left Fork Holloway Draft (aka Cowpasture Branch) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Left Fork Tims Draft (aka Left Prong Tims Draft) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Left Prong Ramseys Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Lick Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Lick Draft (aka Dry Hollow) Valley Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Little Fork Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Lucy Draft Valley Pocahontas County West Virginia
Marshall Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Martins Draft (aka Mortons Draft) Valley Highland County Virginia
Mays Draft Stream Greenbrier County West Virginia
McCrays Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Meadow Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Monroe Draft (aka Organ Cave) Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia
Moore Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Mortons Draft (aka Martins Draft) Valley Highland County Virginia
Mudlick Draft (aka Grassy Field Hollow) Valley Highland County Virginia
Nelson Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Olive Draft Valley Tioga County Pennsylvania
O'Roarke Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Panther Gap Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Peace Valley Draft Valley Howell County Missouri
Pine Draft Run Stream Hampshire County West Virginia
Polecat Draft (aka Crawford Depot) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Poor Farm Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Poormans Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Porcupine Draft Valley Elk County Pennsylvania
Post Draft Valley Clinton County Pennsylvania
Proctor Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Ramseys Draft (aka Ramsey Draft) Valley Augusta County Virginia [1]
Ramseys Draft Wilderness Land reserve Augusta County Virginia [29]
Rayburn Draft (aka Rayburns Draft) Valley Monroe County West Virginia
Reubens Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Rider Draft Valley Clearfield County Pennsylvania
Right Fork Tims Draft (aka Tims Draft Right Prong) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Right Prong Ramseys Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Rocky Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Ruckman Draft (aka Ruckman Run) Valley Highland County Virginia [30]
Sanders Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Sanders Draft Valley Elk County Pennsylvania
Schnarr Draft Valley Clearfield County Pennsylvania
Scotchtown Draft (aka Scotch Town Draft) Valley Bath County Virginia
Shadrach Draft Valley Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Shaffer Draft Valley Elk County Pennsylvania
Short Draft Branch Stream Fulton County Arkansas
Slaty Lick Draft Valley Bath County Virginia
Slide Island Draft Valley Tioga County Pennsylvania
Smoke Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Staples Draft (aka Staples Hollow) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Starey Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Steel Lick Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Stillhouse Draft (aka Stillhouse Run) Stream Highland County Virginia
Stony Pitch Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Stuarts Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia [2]
Stuarts Draft Populated place Augusta County Virginia [2][4]
Sues Draft (aka Sidbert Run) Valley Highland County Virginia
Sugar Tree Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Swamp Draft Valley Clinton County Pennsylvania
Tarkiln Draft Valley Pike County Pennsylvania
Thacker Draft Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia
Thurston Draft Valley Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Tims Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Tom Lee Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Townsend Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Upper Pine Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
Valley Draft Valley Pocahontas County West Virginia
Waids Draft (aka Wades Draft) Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia
Wallace Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
White Oak Draft (aka Buckhorn Creek) Valley Augusta County Virginia
White Oak Draft Valley Cameron County Pennsylvania
White Oak Draft Valey Highland County Virginia
White Rock Branch Stream Giles County Virginia
Whitehead Draft Stream Clearfield County Pennsylvania [7]
Whites Draft Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia
Whitmans Draft (aka Whitmans Run) Valley Greenbrier County West Virginia
Wide Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Wide Draft Hollow Valley Bath County Virginia
Wolfe Draft Valley Highland County Virginia
Wolfpen Draft Valley Augusta County Virginia
Wood Draft (aka Woods Draft) Valley Augusta County Virginia
Woodley Draft Valley Clinton County Pennsylvania

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e DeBlieu, Jan (2006). "Draft". In Lopez, Barry; Gwartney, Debra (eds.). Home Grown: Language for an American Landscape. San Antonia: Trinity University Press. In two distinct regions of the country, a gully, gorge, or steep ravine that contains a creek or small river is known as a draft. ...The term is commonly applied in the mountains of north-central Pennsylvania and the deeply folded Appalachian peaks near the Virginia-West Virginia border, and about nowhere else.
  2. ^ a b c d Catlett, Clay; Fishburne, Elliott G. (January 1928). "An Economic and Social Survey of Augusta County". University of Virginia Record Extension Series. 12 (7): 24–25.
  3. ^ "Cove | Southern Appalachian English". University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  4. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Stuarts Draft CDP, Virginia". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  5. ^ a b "Feature Details: Hughes Draft | Geographic Names Information System". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  6. ^ a b "Feature Details: Jericho Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  7. ^ a b "Feature Details: Whitehead Draft" Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  8. ^ a b "Feature Details: Back Draft (Valley)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  9. ^ a b "Feature Details: Back Draft (Stream)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  10. ^ ""Draft" | Geographic Names Information System". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  11. ^ "Feature Details: Back Draft (Bath County)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  12. ^ "Feature Details: Baracks Draft (Highland County)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  13. ^ "Feature Details: Baker Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  14. ^ "Feature Details: Baracks Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  15. ^ "Baughman Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  16. ^ "Bear Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  17. ^ "Bee Tree Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  18. ^ "Bell Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  19. ^ "Big Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  20. ^ "Big Draft Run". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  21. ^ "Big Draft Wilderness". USDA Forest Service. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  22. ^ "Big Lick Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  23. ^ "Big Spring Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  24. ^ "Black Gum Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  25. ^ "Bloom Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  26. ^ "Feature Details: Epling Draft (Valley)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  27. ^ "Feature Details: White Rock Branch". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  28. ^ "Feature Details: Jenny Gwin Draft". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  29. ^ "Ramseys Draft Wilderness Study Area and Addition, Virginia". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  30. ^ "Feature Details: Ruckman Draft" | Geographic Names Information System". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-30.