West Virginia
- It has been proposed that this page, :West Virginia, be titled, "West Virginia University".
| West Virginia University | |
|---|---|
| City: | Morgantown, WV |
| Type: | Public |
| Sports: | baseball, basketball, football, rifle, soccer, swimming, wrestling, cross country, gymnastics, rowing, tennis, track, volleyball |
| Colors: | old gold and navy blue |
| Mascot: | The Mountaineer |
| Website: | http://www.wvu.edu/ |
West Virginia became the thirty-fifth state on June 20, 1863, after separating from Virginia during the American Civil War. Its official nickname is "The Mountain State," which is apt considering that West Virginia has the highest mean elevation of any state east of the Mississippi River. West Virginians commonly refer to themselves as Mountaineers. The team name of the state's flagship university-- West Virginia University-- is also the Mountaineers. "Montani semper libre," the state's slogan, means "Mountaineers will always be free."
Founding
West Virginia was granted statehood during the American Civil War. The Commonwealth of Virginia, which had since colonial times included the counties that now comprise West Virginia, voted to secede from the Union; however, the counties in western Virginia were more sympathetic to the Union. To avoid seceding from the Union, these counties seceded from Virginia in 1861 in order remain part of the United States. President Lincoln granted the counties of Western Virginia formal statehood in 1863.
State Facts
West Virginia is comprised of 55 counties lying between the Ohio River on the west and the high Allegheny ridges of the Appalachian Mountains on the East. The northern border is formed by the North Branch Potomac River, the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, and the Ohio River. Its odd shape and long panhandles are the result of irregular borders with other states that follow rivers and ridges. A Mountaineer once quipped, "It is a pretty good state for the shape it's in."
The population is 1,818,470.[1]
The State Flower is the Rhododendron; the State Tree is the Sugar Maple; the State Bird is the Cardinal; and the State Animal is the Black Bear.
Tourism brochures, driver's licenses, license plates, and road signs describe West Virginia with the slogan "Wild and Wonderful." John Denver's hit song 'Country Roads' has helped make West Virginia a symbol of Appalachian life throughout the world.
The capital city, Charleston, has a population of 51,394[2] and is located on the Kanawha River in the south-central region of the state known as "Metro Valley." In addition to Charleston, there are nine other metropolitan areas in West Virginia(some include parts of bordering states):
- Charleston, WV
- Cumberland, MD-WV
- Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
- Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
- Morgantown, WV
- Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH
- Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
- Wheeling, WV-OH
- Winchester, VA-WV
The highest elevation in West Virginia is Spruce Knob in Pendleton County at 4,862 feet.
The state has been the birthplace of many notable men and woman, including Pearl S. Buck, General Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson, General Chuck Yeager, John Henry, Don Knotts, and Senator Robert Byrd.
Physical Geography
West Virginia is about 80% forested and supports a strong timber industry. It is also one of the leading coal producing states, in past decades often rotating with Kentucky as the number one coal producer. Wyoming has recently surpassed both states as the #1 coal producer. West Virginia is also a productive agricultural state, and was a leader in steel and chemical production in the early and mid 20th century.
Because of the state's rugged terrain and vast wildlands, it has become an international attraction for campers, fisherman, hunters, spelunkers, whitewater rafters, hang gliders, and hikers.
Politics
Since 1928, West Virginia has usually voted for Democratic presidential candidates and congressional representatives, with the notable exceptions of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan, and again in 2000, when a Republican presidential candidate, George W. Bush, won the state's 5 electoral votes. President Bush won West Virginia again in 2004.
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