About the name "No Man’s Land" The seven square mile area known as Wilson Cove is a portion of Hardy County, WV. On a map, this rectangular area appears to jut into Shenandoah County, VA. Except for this anomaly, the county (and state) boundary follows the ridge of Great North Mountain. The mountain’s ridge was chosen in the 19th century as the natural boundary, since it separated the river communities forming in watersheds to the west and east. A boundary along the ridge puts Wilson cove in Virginia, since it is east of the ridge. However, Waites run takes Wilson Cove drainage westward through a water gap in Great North Mountain. For more than a century, both counties claimed Wilson Cove. Hardy County elected the constable, taxed certain lands, appointed school commissioners. Shenandoah County issued marriage licenses, paid bounties on wildcats, recorded wills, collected taxes and sold delinquent properties. When West Virginia separated from Virginia in the 1860’s, Hardy County became part of West Virginia and Shenandoah County remained in Virginia, but the dispute over Wilson Cove remained. By 1915, the Forest Service was purchasing mountain land for reclamation, but legal opinion held that title to this land was unclear and advised against purchase. A 1926 map of Shenandoah County labeled Wilson Cove as "No Man’s Land." The dispute was resolved in a court decision that recognized a boundary based on watersheds. Since Wilson Cove drained into West Virginia, it was declared a part of Hardy County, WV. From: Guide to Great North Mountain Trails. First edition by Wil Kohlbrenner Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, 2001, Page 36. <patc.net>