Antietam Creek

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Burnside Bridge traversing Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland, site of heavy combat during the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) on September 17, 1862
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Burnside Bridge traversing Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland, site of heavy combat during the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) on September 17, 1862

Antietam Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River located in south central Pennsylvania and western Maryland in the United States, a region known as Hagerstown Valley. The creek became famous as a focal point of the Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War. The term Antietam is thought to be a derivative of a Native American phrase meaning "swift flowing stream."

The creek is formed in Franklin County, Pennsylvania at the confluence of the West and East Branches of Antietam Creek about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) south of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. The stream runs for about 0.5 mile (0.8 km) before entering Washington County, Maryland. The total length of the creek is 41 miles (65 km).

The watershed area is 93 square miles (241 km²) and includes parts of Franklin County, Pennsylvania and Washington County, Maryland. Major tributaries in Pennsylvania include the East Branch of Antietam Creek, the West Branch of Antietam Creek, Red Run and Falls Creek. Major tributaries in Maryland include Little Antietam Creek, Beaver Creek, and Marsh Run.

The creek is noted for numerous well preserved stone arch bridges dating to the 19th Century that still traverse the creek, the most famous of which is the 125 foot (38 meter) long Burnside Bridge in the Antietam National Battlefield.

Most of the watershed area is relatively rural in nature but the area surrounding Hagerstown, Maryland, is threatened by urban sprawl. The area is also heavily cultivated and waste runoff from farms is a growing ecological concern.

The creek was a major topographic feature during the Battle of Antietam (called the Battle of Sharpsburg in the American South) fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Burnside Bridge, which traverses the creek, became a major focus of combat as Union forces under General Ambrose Burnside repeatedly tried to capture the bridge from Confederate forces guarding the crossing from a high bluff overlooking the creek. The day of the battle is known as "the day Antietam Creek ran red" due to the blood of thousands of Union casualties mixing with the creek waters.

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Potomac River system
Cities and towns | Bridges | Islands | Variant names
Regions
Allegheny Front | Allegheny Mountains | Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area | Blue Ridge Mountains | Cumberland Valley | Eastern Panhandle | Northern Neck | Northern Virginia | Potomac Highlands | Ridge-and-valley Appalachians | Shenandoah Valley | Southern Maryland | Western Maryland
Tributaries
North Branch | Stony River | Abram Creek | Savage River | Georges Creek | Wills Creek | Evitts Creek | Patterson Creek | South Branch | North Fork South Branch | South Fork South Branch | Town Creek | Little Cacapon River | Fifteenmile Creek | Sideling Hill Creek | Cacapon River | Lost River | North River (West Virginia) | Tonoloway Creek | Sleepy Creek | Licking Creek | Back Creek | Little Conococheague Creek | Conococheague Creek | Opequon Creek | Antietam Creek | Shenandoah River | North Fork Shenandoah River | South Fork Shenandoah River | North River (Virginia) | South River | Catoctin Creek (Maryland) | Catoctin Creek (Virginia) | Monocacy River | Little Monocacy River | Goose Creek | Little River | Seneca Creek | Cabin John Creek | Rock Creek | Anacostia River | Sligo Creek | Four Mile Run | Oxon Creek | Hunting Creek | Piscataway Creek | Dogue Creek | Accotink Creek | Pohick Creek | Occoquan River | Bull Run | Neabsco Creek | Mattawoman Creek | Quantico Creek | Chopawamsic Creek | Aquia Creek | Potomac Creek | Nanjemoy Creek | Port Tobacco River | Wicomico River | Coan River | St. Marys River | Yeocomico River | Hull Creek
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