“Improving The Community One Project At A Time” PO Box 117 -  Alderson W Va.  24910 Click on picture for larger view. Marshall Expedition at Alderson Photos  Margaret Hambrick - 5.8.2012 A This year marks the 200th anniversary of an 1812 survey expedition led by Supreme Court Justice John  Marshall to establish a river route connecting the James River near Lynchburg, VA, and the Kanawha River; this  included a section of the Greenbrier River from Caldwell to Hinton. Forging the route would enhance trading and  commerce between the East and the Ohio River Valley. The 22-member commission departed from Lynchburg on September 1, 1812, into uncharted waters. Only John  Marshall and one other crew member would complete the entire, month long trip.  The crew traveled up the James and Jackson rivers to the base of the Allegheny Mountains. They portaged the  Batteau by wagon over the Alleghenies to the mouth of Howards Creek at Caldwell, where they put in on the  Greenbrier River on the 18th. A late summer drought left the water level quite low in the Greenbrier, and it took  the expedition 10 days to reach the mouth in Hinton. They spent the night of September 28 on one of the islands at the confluence of the Greenbrier and New rivers and began the last section of the expedition down the New  on the 29th. They reached their destination, the mouth of the New at the Kanawha River, on October 9, 1812.  The canal slated to trace Marshalls route was never finished due to funding issues and the development of  railways, which proved to be a move efficient and economical means of transportation. However, the path he  forged was used in the creation of the railway, U.S. Route 60, and Interstate 64. The crew’s vessel, a James River Batteau, was first created in the early l770's by Anthony Rucker, a prominent  farmer in Amherst, VA. These long, flat—bottomed Batteaus were typically between 40-60 feet long, 6-8 feet  wide, and created for the purpose of transporting goods in shallow water. These boats aren't seen on the river everyday. Moving on to today 2012: Native of the James River Valley, Andrew Shaw, and his crew of Batteau enthusiasts embarked on the journey  this spring to recreate the historic 1812 expedition. Sponsored by a young explorers grant by the National  Geographic Society, they build a 43 foot by 7 foot batteau named the Mary Marshall. They were forced to skip  the 23-mile section between Snowden and Lynchburg because of dams impeding the river's flow. They were  welcomed all along their expedition by local residents eager to learn about the historical event. The crew is expecting to put in on the Greenbrier at Caldwell around May 6. Local residents are asked to show  them support and hospitality along the way. The boat will graciously make two pit stops for those interested in learning more about their journey. They will  stop in Talcott to engage the students at Talcott Elementary School. A National Park Service ranger will be on  hand to provide background information on the John Marshall expedition at this stop. They will also be stopping  in Hinton at Batteau Beach to greet all community members and history buffs.  Not planning to stop in Alderson, a surprise reception awaited them.  Standing on the bridge were dozens of  town residents holding a banner that read “Alderson loves Batteaux.”  Flattered, They pulled over to talk to  residents and were invited for coffee at the brand new Greenbrier River Interpretative Center  A few residents  rode along with them for about a quarter mile, and though they were mostly under the age of ten they had 18  people riding downstream.  After an hour or so the crew got back on the river, and spent the next few hours  weaving in and out of islands, running rapids and reveling in the downstream journey. The complete account and pictures of the whole journey can be seen at www.vacanals.org/marshall. © Alderson Main Street 2013