Great Cacapon is a small hamlet on the western side of Cacapon Mountain along the Potomac River, just upstream from its meeting with the Cacapon River. Artifacts of a Native American town dating to about 1300 AD have been found along the Potomac here. George Washington recorded stopping at "Great Cacapehon" during his first surveying trip in 1748, and he returned in 1750 and 1751 to survey the area, including 270 acres of river frontage at the confluence that included the site of the present town. A structure built there by Isaac Dawson was fortified during the French and Indian War and became one of a line of forts under Washington's command. Washington also owned prized Potomac riverfront land nearby and wrote in his diaries that it was one reason he visited often. He especially admired the black walnut growth on a 240-acre tract, which he valued in his will at $3600. That acreage is now privately owned and accessible only by river. Great Cacapon also offers access to the wild and scenic Cacapon River, a visible stone arch B&O railroad bridge over the river, and a stretch of WV9 that follows the winding Cacapon River for nearly 20 miles to Paw Paw and is considered among the state's most scenic roads, with three marked river access points available.
