By Jeremiah Hyslop
Seneca Rocks (photo by Wheeling Heritage)
The dramatic cliffs known today as Seneca Rocks came from land that 450 million years ago was a barrier island with a climate akin to that of the Bahamas. The iconic Tuscarora sandstone, which makes up much of the rockface, consists of sand from that ancient ocean floor. This is evident in the deposits of sandstone and dark shale on and around the rock face where trilobite trackways and crinoid fossils are found. Millions of years ago these tiny, prehistoric marine invertebrates once scurried and fluttered along the very stone that we trudge over when we hike the Seneca Rocks Trail.
Today all can explore Seneca Rocks because it is public land that sits within the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, the first congressionally designated national recreation area established by the USDA Forest Service, September 28, 1965. This special area comprised of two swaths of land totaling 100,000 acres in eastern West Virginia, is an idyllic mountainous haven enjoyed by local, regional, and international Forest Visitors.
Indigenous Peoples lived in the valley below Seneca Rocks, and with the Seneca Trail which passes by the rock formation, the area was extensively used by multiple Nations. At its height, the Seneca Trail was a major thoroughfare which stretched from present day Florida to Canada. In the Seneca language, the Seneca Rocks are known as Jögä:ö' / Dzögä:ö', meaning “Little people live there”. The Seneca, Shawnee, Delaware (Lenape), and Cherokee people are a few of the prominent tribes that call this land their home. Native people still live throughout the country and state of West Virginia, but due to the dramatic impact of colonialism followed by the removal policies of the United States government in the 1800s, many are now citizens of resilient and thriving sovereign nations located in places like Oklahoma, New York, and Canada.
The Sites Homestead (photo by Wheeling Heritage)
Seneca Rocks sits within what is known today as the Germany Valley. The name “Germany Valley” is derived from an influx of German settlers who arrived in 1761, enticed by healthy soil and inexpensive land. Among these families were the Sites (originally Seitz), who built their home under the towering Seneca Rocks in 1839. The Sites family originally resided in a pen log cabin, which was called such because it was approximately one log long and one log deep. Some thirty years later, the family expanded the farmhouse to the two-story structure which stands today. Present day observers of this homestead can easily envision the trials and tribulations of early European-American life.
The Rocks are an important part of the origins of rock climbing as an outdoor recreational activity in America. The climbing challenges on the rocks provided a training ground during World War II, as part of the West Virginia Maneuver Area. Troops trained here before being sent overseas to face mountainous areas in Italy and other parts of Europe. Today, in addition to the family-friendly hike to a viewing platform, the rock formation provides one of the best rock-climbing spots in the eastern United States, with plenty of options for beginners and seasoned climbers alike.
Modern-day visitors to the Seneca Rocks Unit of the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area appreciate the unique amalgam of geological history, rich culture, and fruitful recreational opportunities. Although the rock face is wont to steal the spotlight, the diversity and wealth of culture associated with the area is equally - if not more - deserving of it.
