Strange Creek, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Strange Creek is an unincorporated community
along Route 4 in Braxton County, West Virginia
, United States
, near the border with Clay County
. It lies along the bank of the Elk River
. The actual creek runs southeast and ends just past the community of Dille
in Nicholas County.
says that a man named William Strange got lost in the area along which the creek runs. It is said that he wrote a small poem on a tree, that went something along the lines of:
Strange is my name
and I'm on strange ground
and strange it is
that I can't be found
There have been many variations on this, but this is most commonly seen.
Also referenced in artist Phoenix Rainbow's 2010 album 'Strange Creek'. The album was conceived in Strange Creek, WV and includes lyrics "I spent years in between/they told me what to believe/now I'm ready to leave/ but I'm lost in Strange Creek."
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
along Route 4 in Braxton County, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, near the border with Clay County
Clay County, West Virginia
-External links:***...
. It lies along the bank of the Elk River
Elk River (West Virginia)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, long, in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.-Course:...
. The actual creek runs southeast and ends just past the community of Dille
Dille, West Virginia
Dille is an unincorporated community in Clay County, West Virginia, United States. It lies at an elevation of 1,201 feet .-References:...
in Nicholas County.
Name
Local legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
says that a man named William Strange got lost in the area along which the creek runs. It is said that he wrote a small poem on a tree, that went something along the lines of:
Strange is my name
and I'm on strange ground
and strange it is
that I can't be found
There have been many variations on this, but this is most commonly seen.
Also referenced in artist Phoenix Rainbow's 2010 album 'Strange Creek'. The album was conceived in Strange Creek, WV and includes lyrics "I spent years in between/they told me what to believe/now I'm ready to leave/ but I'm lost in Strange Creek."
Further reading
- Coleman's West Virginia Atlas and Gazetteer
- "Wonderful West Virginia magazines"