West
Virginia
West Virginia’s nickname is the Mountain State. That’s
because the heart of the state is in the Appalachian Mountains. These rugged
mountains are thick with forests and divided by deep river valleys. In fact,
the state is so rugged that large areas of level land are scarce.
The mountains give West Virginia its magnificent
scenery. West Virginia’s state motto is Montani semper liber
(Mountaineers are always free).
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Facts About West Virginia
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Capital
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Charleston
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Population
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1,810,000
people
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Rank
among states in population
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37th
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Major
cities
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Charleston,
Huntington, Parkersburg
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Area
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24,200
square miles
62,800 square kilometers |
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Rank
among states in area
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41st
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Statehood
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June
20, 1863, the 35th state
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State
nickname
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The
Mountain State
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Name
for residents
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West
Virginians
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State
bird
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Cardinal
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State
flower
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Rhododendron
Maximum
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State
tree
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Sugar
Maple
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Abbreviation
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WV
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SMALL AND RURAL
West Virginia is the tenth smallest state in
land area. It has less than 2 million people. Most West Virginians live in
rural areas rather than in cities. Charleston, the biggest city and state capital,
has just over 50,000 people.
The cities and towns of West Virginia lie
mainly in the western half of the state. In the east are the beautiful
Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains. Both of these ranges are part of the
Appalachians.
MANY RIVERS
West Virginia has many rivers winding through deep
valleys. Rivers are one reason for the state’s irregular borders.
The Ohio River forms West Virginia’s border
with Ohio in the north and west. The Big Sandy and the Tug Fork rivers form the
border with Kentucky in the southwest. The Potomac and North Branch Potomac
rivers form the long, wavy border with Maryland.
Rivers flow through the middle of the state, too.
They include the Monongahela, Kanawha, New River, Bluestone, and Shenandoah.
Part of the Bluestone forms a National Scenic River. It attracts many hikers,
fishers, and boaters. The New River Gorge has some of the best white-water
rapids in the country.
FORGED IN WAR
West Virginia was once part of Virginia. But the mountains
divided the state and the people. By the 1850s, many disputes divided the two
sides, including the issue of slavery. Many people in western Virginia opposed
slavery while those in eastern Virginia supported it.
In 1861, eastern Virginia left the United States to
join the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy was a group of states
that wanted to form their own country. The American Civil War was fought to
hold the Union together.
But Virginians in the west remained loyal to the
Union. They formed their own state instead. On June 20, 1863, West Virginia
became the 35th state to join the United States.
JOHN BROWN
In 1859, an antislavery activist named John Brown
and his followers attacked a U.S. armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Harpers
Ferry is now part of West Virginia. Brown wanted to steal the weapons and use
them to free slaves.
Instead, Brown was captured. He was tried and
hanged in Charles Town, which later became part of West Virginia. Afterward,
many saw Brown as a hero. He became the subject of songs and books. Today,
Harpers Ferry has a National Historical Park. Some of the buildings still stand
from the days of John Brown’s raid.
GREAT PARKS
West Virginia’s mountains make for great outdoor fun.
The state has one of the best park systems in the country. The first state park
was Droop Mountain Battlefield, the site of a Civil War battle. The largest
park is Watoga State Park. Cathedral State Park is home to a famous old forest.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail passes through West
Virginia’s George Washington National Forest. The trail is a long hiking path
that runs all the way from Georgia to Maine.
At Moundsville you can see the Grave Creek Mound
Historic Site. It’s an ancient earthen mound built by Native Americans about
2,000 years ago. Grave Creek Mound is the largest mound of its kind in the
United States.
MOUNTAIN MUSIC
The mountains of West Virginia are famous for folk
music. The music originated with settlers from the British Isles. It developed
its own unique style in the isolated mountains.
One unusual instrument popular in West Virginia is the
Appalachian dulcimer (or mountain dulcimer). It’s a stringed instrument with a
bright, twangy sound. Many musicians still play it today.
COAL EVERYWHERE
West Virginia is a coal-mining state. The
state’s mountains and deep valleys are full of a kind of coal called bituminous
coal. Other minerals are also mined in West Virginia, including oil and natural
gas. But coal mining is the most important.
West Virginia is still one of the leading producers
of bituminous coal in the United States. But manufacturing is now West
Virginia’s biggest industry. The state makes chemicals, metals, auto parts, and
other goods.
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