Negro Mountain
| Negro Mountain | |
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View west from Negro Mountain highpoint
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,213 ft (979 m) |
| Coordinates | 39°47′10″N 79°10′30″W / 39.78611°N 79.17500°WCoordinates: 39°47′10″N 79°10′30″W / 39.78611°N 79.17500°W |
| Geography | |
 Negro Mountain
Location of Negro Mountain in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Somerset County, Pennsylvania / Garrett County, Maryland, U.S. |
| Parent range | Allegheny Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Markelton, Meyersdale (PA) Quadrangle |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | Unknown |
| Easiest route | Drive up |
Negro Mountain is a 30-mile (48 km) long ridge of the Allegheny Mountains extending from Deep Creek Lake in Maryland, north to the Casselman River in Pennsylvania, United States. The summit, Mount Davis, is the highest point (3,213 feet) in Pennsylvania.Laurel Hill flanks Negro Mountain to the west, with Allegheny Mountain to the east.
The mountain is flattish in appearance due to its location on the Allegheny Plateau, so its prominence is of low relief. The mountain retains its elevation above 3,000 feet (910 m) for much of its length, especially in Pennsylvania. The Negro Mountain Tunnel, built for the South Pennsylvania Railroad, is abandoned and was never used. The Mount Davis Natural Area on the Mountain is located within the Forbes State Forest and many trails take hikers throughout this alpine landscape.
Weather on the mountain is fierce, frost can occur at any time of the year and winds and ice storms are common. Near the summit in Pennsylvania, the trees are stunted and circular rock formations from frost heave can be readily seen.
Details behind the naming of Negro Mountain are not precisely known and a number of local stories have circulated in the past. The various stories seem to share, however, a couple of elements. One is that of a band of white soldiers or hunters skirmishing with Indians on the mountain during colonial times. The other is the presence with the whites of an African-American companion — variously named "Nemisis" [sic] or "Goliath" indicating his great strength or size — who accompanied the whites and died valiantly during the fight. The most popular version of the story takes place during the French and Indian War, in the year 1756, when frontiersman Colonel Thomas Cresap is known to have led a force against Native Americans on the mountain. A member of his force, a black slave or a scout named "Nemisis," was killed in the battle. The mountain was accordingly named "Negro Mountain" in his honor.
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Wikipedia