Dee and all, To understand the history of Pendleton County, one really must understand its geography. Coming from Virginia on Hwy 33, you make many sharp right and sharp left turns to stay on Hwy 33. Just look at a map--they are available for free from the WV Dept. of Transportation. Look at the map and you will note that Pendleton County is made up of three valleys that run North-South. Up is south, since it is up-river in all three cases. All three valleys are of the Potomac--the South Fork of the Potomac. But they are known as (east to west): South Fork (of the South Branch)--Brandywine and Sugar Grove area South Branch (the main stream) which runs through Franklin North Fork (of the South Branch)--Riverton and Circleville To traverse Pendleton County east to west you literally cross 3 major mountains. One reason our ancestors generally migrated north to south and not east to west. It still today in our modern cars take 1 hour to go the 40 miles to Harrisonburg, VA, and the Virginia portion of the trip is relatively flat and straight. When Hwy 33 reaches the North Branch valley, at Judy Gap, you make a right turn to stay on Hwy 33. (There is no straight ahead, at least on the highway. <G>) >How far would you say it is past the Exon Station, just so I won't go >driving to kingdom-come. The Exxon Station is on Highway 33 in the middle of town. It is the old-fashioned store with gas pumps in front and living quarters above. The right turn to Seneca Caverns is well marked--I think at the corner of the Exxon station but don't hold me to this. <G> The town is small so out-of-town is much sooner than "kingdom come"<G> even if all the buildings have changed since I was there. The road to Seneca Caverns is the only real road going to the east out of town and I don't recall any to the west. Going north on 33, the last house on the left side at the north end of town, kind of up on a knoll, belonged to William "Billy" Bland who married Mary Teter. He lost his leg during the Civil War and his granddaughter still has the peg leg that he carved for himself from a tree. This house is interesting because the back of the house is literally built into the side of the mountain. From the back door one walked directly into the underground cellars in the hill. Behind this house and up a short hill is the Bland-Teter Cemetery--actually the only cemetery I know of in Riverton. My ancestor was the oldest brother of Billy Bland. After serving in the Confederate Army and seeing all the ravages done by both sides in this area, he secreted his family off to Ohio and lived among the families of his aunts who went to Ohio before 1810. >I have lived in Washington state and visited Oregon several times. >I'm curious as to where in Oregon the grandson and great >grandchildlren settled. They lived SW of Philomath which is west of Corvallis. They were on the current highway from Philomath to Alsea and Waldport and helped build and fund the first toll road to the coast. Interesting that they went past all of the flat lands of the Willamette Valley to farm the narrow valley of the St. Mary's River. We went to the family cemetery after one of the annual Henkle reunions. This was their 90th--started in 1909 by the wagon train family with only one year missed during World War II due to gas rationing. Hope this helps. You really cannot get lost in Riverton. But, also do not expect to stay there! There are motels in Franklin and also one north of Riverton just a few miles and probably the most convenient. On the west side of the highway and very easily seen. Be sure you have a county map before going which shows all of the roads and cemeteries, although the Hinkle Cemetery is not on this map. They are available from the WV Dept. of Transportation in Charleston. Also, the Visitor's Center at Seneca Rocks has the USGS maps, adapted to the Forest Service. As you drive north of Riverton along North Fork, you will notice that all of the old houses are on the other side of the river. Originally, the road ran on the other side of the river, thus this placement. Also, the river has shifted its course in the valley many times. If you look close you will see signs from the last major flood. Last time I was there we forded the river north of Seneca Rocks because the private bridge had been washed out and the farm house had long before been abandoned. Have a great trip. Nedra Nedra Dickman Brill, Certified Genealogist brillnd@pacifier.com Historian, Henckel Family National Association Coordinator Pendleton County, WV, wvpendle-l@rootsweb.com CG is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license after periodic evaluations by the Board.