Did you know West Virginia has a lost river? The mighty Teays river once formed the landscape of our state, but the latest ice age millions of years ago changed its course. Read on to find out more about the Teays River.
Note: Since West Virginia’s geography has changed significantly in the last two million years, the photos of the glaciers provided are for illustration purposes only.
The ancient Teays River flowed through much of what is now West Virginia, before our last ice age. It flowed northwest into Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
Wikimedia Commons/National Park Service
The modern day Kanawha River probably once flowed into the Teays.
Wikimedia Commons/Acroterion
When the ice age hit, much of the river became frozen into glaciers.
Wikimedia Commons/NASA
As the glaciers melted, they left behind debris that filled in the river beds, causing the river to change its course.
Wikimedia Commons/Duk
Most of the water that would have once made up the Teays River now flows into the Ohio River.
Wikimedia Commons/Stihler Craig, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Some of the water also probably flows underground.
Some of the river valleys were still left behind, like the Teays Valley in Putnam county. The community of Teays Valley is named after the former river.
Google Maps
Did you know about this ancient river?
Wikimedia Commons/National Park Service
Wikimedia Commons/Acroterion
Wikimedia Commons/NASA
Wikimedia Commons/Duk
Wikimedia Commons/Stihler Craig, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Some of the water also probably flows underground.
Google Maps
For more more of West Virginia’s little known history, check out how the area nearly became an entirely different state called Westylvania.
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