Pound Gap, Jenkins, Kentucky
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PersonsMD
N 37° 09.460 W 082° 38.200
17S E 354671 N 4113617
Officially recognized as a "Distinguished Geologic Site" by the Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists, the area displays an extraordinary outcropping of nearly the entire section of Late Devonian, Mississippian & Early Pennsylvanian stratigraph
Waymark Code: WM5G25
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 01/02/2009
Views: 20
This extraordinary outcrop of Paleozoic sediments extends from its base up through the Devonian Ohio Shale, Bedford Shale, Beria Sandstone and Sunbury Shale; Mississippian Grainger Formation, and Newman Limestone; the transitional Mississippian through Lower Pennsylvanian Pennington Formation; the Lower Pennsylvanian Lee Formation of the Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian Breathitt Group. It is located at Pound Gap at the crest of the Pine Mountain Thrust on US 23 at the state borders of Virginia and Kentucky just to the south of the town on Jenkins Kentucky.
In 1998, the Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists (KSPG) launched its "Distinguished Geologic Site" program. The goals of this program are to provide formal recognition of Kentucky's rich geologic heri-tage and to increase the awareness of its citizens about that heritage. With support from various levels of state government, the first site was officially designated on September 26 in a ceremony held in the town of Jenkins, Letcher County, Kentucky. Amid the bustle of media coverage, Mayor Robert Shubert eloquently accepted a special plaque from KSPG President Dr. Don Chesnut of the Kentucky Geological Survey.
The extraordinary Pound Gap Roadcut is the result of constructing a 2.7 mile bypass on US Rt. 23 near Jenkins, which links the states of Kentucky and Virginia. Earlier that week, Governor Paul Patton had visited the site in order to open officially the new highway. This short stretch of road, constucted at a total cost of about $53 million, represents the most expensive state-supervised highway project in Kentucky's history!
For geologists in particular, however, this new highway offers one of the most remarkable exposures of rock in the entire eastern United States! The Pound Gap Roadcut exposes Late Devonian through Early Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks that usually lie far below the surface in that region. Thanks to the famous Paleozoic thrust faulting on Pine Mountain and the recent good work by the KY Department of Transportation in removing approximately 9 million cubic yards of material, it is now possible to view in detail more than 2,000 feet of continuous stratigraphic section. These rock layers reveal a fascinating story of advancing and retreating seas, swamps and coal deposits, and the building of the Appalachian Mountains.
Natural gaps through the mountains always have been important to the story of Kentucky's history and development, with the famous Cumberland Gap being the most widely noted. The new US Rt. 23 bypass through Pound Gap will be no exception. Not only will the highway bring much needed commerce and tourism into the region, but a permanent Welcome Center being constructed there will feature graphical displays and explanatory materials so the general public can better appreciate the geologic uniqueness and importance of this locale. (Also, especially for geologists, a descriptive field guide for the site can be obtained by contacting the Kentucky Geological Survey.)
Waymark is confirmed to be publicly accessible: yes
Access fee (In local currency): .00
Requires a high clearance vehicle to visit.: no
Requires 4x4 vehicle to visit.: no
Public Transport available: no
Website reference: [Web Link]
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
No specific requirements, just have fun visiting the waymark.