wv.gov West Virginia ( /wst vrdnj/ (helpinfo)) is a state in the Appalachianand Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to thesoutheast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvaniaand Maryland to the northeast. The capital and largest city is Charleston. WestVirginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions, breaking away fromVirginia during the American Civil War. The new state was admitted to the Unionon June 20, 1863, and was a key Civil War border state. West Virginia was theonly state to form by seceding from a Confederate state, and was one of onlytwo states formed during the American Civil War (the other one being Nevada,which separated from Utah Territory). The Census Bureau considers West Virginiapart of the South, as most of the state is south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Thenorthern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio with the WestVirginia cities of Wheeling and Weirton being just across the border from thePittsburgh metropolitan area, while Bluefield is less than 70 miles from NorthCarolina and Harper’s Ferry is considered to be a part of the Washingtonmetropolitan area. The unique position of West Virginia means that it is oftenincluded in a wide variety of geographical regions, including the Upland South,the Southeastern United States and even the Northeastern United States.Notably, it is the only state which entirely lies within the area served by theAppalachian Regional Commission, which is a common definition of “Appalachia”.The state is noted for its mountains and diverse topography, itshistorically-significant logging and coal mining industries, and its politicaland labor history. It is one of the most densely karstic areas in the world,making it a choice area for recreational caving and scientific research. Thekarst lands contribute to much of the state’s cool trout waters. It is alsoknown for a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, including skiing,whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and hunting. Contents 1Geography and environment 1.1 Climate 2 History 2.1 Prehistory 2.2 Europeanexploration and settlement 2.3 Trans-Allegheny Virginia 2.4 Separation fromVirginia 2.5 Hidden resources 3 Demographics 3.1 Religion 4 Economy 5Transportation 6 Law and government 6.1 Legislative branch 6.2 Executive branch6.3 Judicial branch 6.4 Politics 7 State capitals 8 Important cities and towns8.1 Large cities 8.2 Towns and small cities 8.3 Metropolitan Statistical Areas8.4 Micropolitan Statistical Areas 9 Education 9.1 Colleges and universities 10Distinctions 11 Culture 11.1 Music 11.1.1 Appalachian music 11.1.2 Classicalmusic 11.1.3 Musical innovation 11.2 Sports 11.3 In popular culture 12 See also13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links // Geography and environmentShaded relief map of the Cumberland Plateau and Ridge-and-valley Appalachians.The summit of Spruce Knob is often covered in clouds. Main article: Geographyof West Virginia See also: List of counties in West Virginia and List ofWest Virginia county seats West Virginia is bordered by Pennsylvania to thenorth; by Ohio to the north and west; by Kentucky to the west; by Maryland tothe north and east; and by Virginia to the east and south. The Ohio and Potomacrivers form parts of the boundaries. West Virginia is located entirely withinthe Appalachian Mountain range and all areas are mountainous; for this reasonit is nicknamed The Mountain State and also is partially the reason why itsmotto is “mountaineers are always free.” About 75% of the state is within theCumberland Plateau and Allegheny Plateau regions. Though the relief is nothigh, the plateau region is extremely rugged in most areas. The averageelevation of West Virginia is approximately 1,500 feet (460 m) abovesea level, which is the highest of any US state east of the Mississippi River.On the eastern state line with Virginia, high peaks in the Monongahela NationalForest region give rise to an island of colder climate and ecosystems similarto those of northern New England and eastern Canada. The highest point in thestate is atop Spruce Knob, at 4,863 ft (1,482 m), is covered in aboreal forest of dense spruce trees at altitudes above 4,000 feet(1,200 m). Spruce Knob lies within the Monongahela National Forest and isa part of the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. A total of sixwilderness areas can also be found within the forest. Outside the forest to thesouth, the New River Gorge is a 1,000 feet (300 m) deep canyon carvedby the New River. The National Park Service manages a portion of the gorge andriver that has been designated as the New River Gorge National River, one ofonly 15 rivers in the U.S. with this level of protection. Other areas underprotection and management include: Appalachian National Scenic Trail BluestoneNational Scenic River Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Chesapeake andOhio Canal National Historical Park Gauley River National Recreation AreaGeorge Washington National Forest Harpers Ferry National Historical Park OhioRiver Islands National Wildlife Refuge Map of West Virginia counties The nativevegetation for most of the state was originally mixed hardwood forest of oak,chestnut, maple, beech, and white pine, with willow and American sycamore alongthe state’s waterways. Many of the areas are rich in biodiversity and scenicbeauty, a fact that is appreciated by native West Virginians, who refer totheir home as Almost Heaven (from the song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”) eventhough John Denver’s geography barely resembles West Virginia. Before the song,it was known as “The Cog State” (Coal, Oil, and Gas) or “The Mountain State.”Ecologically, most of West Virginia falls into the Appalachian mixed mesophyticforests ecoregion. The underlying rock strata are sandstone, shale, bituminouscoal beds, and limestone laid down in a near shore environment from sedimentsderived from mountains to the east, in a shallow inland sea on the west. Somebeds illustrate a coastal swamp environment, some river delta, some shallowwater. Sea level rose and fell many times during the Mississippian andPennsylvanian eras, giving a variety of rock strata. The Appalachian Mountainsare some of the oldest on earth, having formed over 300 million years ago.Climate Further information: Climate change in West Virginia The climate ofWest Virginia is a humid subtropical climate (Koppen climate classificationCfa) in some of the lower elevations, primarily in the southwestern portion ofthe state (including Huntington and Charleston), along with parts of theEastern Panhandle east of the Appalachians with hot, humid summers and milderwinters. The rest of the state generally has a humid continental climate(Koppen climate classification Dfa, except Dfb at the higher elevations) withwarm to hot, humid summers and cool to cold winters, increasing in severitywith elevation. Some southern highland areas also have a mountain temperateclimate (Koppen Cfb) where winter temperatures are more moderate and summertemperatures are somewhat cooler. However, the weather is subject in all partsof the state to change. The hardiness zones range from zone 5b in the centralAppalachian mountains to zone 7a in the warmest parts of the lowest elevations.In the Eastern Panhandle and the Ohio River Valley temperatures are warm enoughto see and grow subtropical plants such as Southern magnolia (Magnoliagrandiflora), Crepe Myrtle, Albizia julibrissin, American Sweetgum and even theoccasional needle palm and sabal minor. These plants do not thrive as well inother parts of the state. The Eastern prickly pear grows well in many portionsof the state. Average January temperatures range from around 26F (-4C) near theCheat River to 41F (5C) along sections of the border with Kentucky. Julyaverages range from 67F (19C) along the North Branch Potomac River to 76F (24C)in the western part of the state. It is cooler in the mountains than in thelower sections of the state. Annual precipitation ranges from less than32 inches (81 cm) in the lower eastern section to more than56 inches (140 cm) in higher parts of the Allegheny Front. Slightlymore than half the rainfall occurs from April to September. Dense fogs arecommon in many valleys of the Kanawha section, especially the Tygart Valley.West Virginia is also one of the cloudiest states in the nation, with thecities of Elkins and Beckley ranking 9th. and 10th. in the U.S. respectivelyfor the number of cloudy days per year (over 210). In addition to persistentcloudy skies caused by the damming of moisture by the Alleghenies, WestVirginia also experiences some of the most frequent precipitation in thenation, with Snowshoe averaging nearly 200 days a year with either rain orsnow. Snow usually lasts only a few days in the lower sections but may persistfor weeks in the higher mountain areas. An average of 34 inches(86 cm) of snow falls annually in Charleston, although during the winterof 19951996 more than three times that amount fell as several cities in thestate established new records for snowfall. Average snowfall in the AlleghenyHighlands can range up to 180 inches (460 cm) per year. Severeweather is somewhat less prevalent in West Virginia than in most other easternstates, and it ranks among the least tornado-prone states east of the Rockies.Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various West Virginia cities CityJan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Beckley 39/22 43/25 52/32 62/4171/49 77/57 80/61 79/60 73/54 63/42 52/34 43/26 Charleston 43/24 47/27 57/3467/42 75/50 82/58 85/63 84/62 77/55 67/43 56/35 47/28 Elkins 39/18 44/20 53/2763/35 72/44 78/53 82/58 80/57 74/50 64/37 53/29 44/22 Huntington 41/24 46/2856/36 67/44 75/53 82/61 85/65 84/64 77/57 66/45 55/37 45/29 History Mainarticle: History of West Virginia The area was a favorite hunting ground ofnumerous Native American peoples before the arrival of European settlers. Manyancient man-made earthen mounds from various mound builder cultures survive,especially in the areas of Moundsville, South Charleston, and Romney. Althoughlittle is known about these peoples, the artifacts uncovered in these giveevidence of a complex, stratified culture that practiced metallurgy. In morerecent history the area now occupied by West Virginia was contested territory,mainly by Pennsylvania and Virginia. Some speculative land companies, such asthe Vandalia Company, and later the Ohio Company and Indiana Company, tried tolegitimize their claims to land in parts of West Virginia and Kentucky, butfailed. With the settlement of the Pennsylvania and Virginia border disputewhich resulted in the creation of Kentucky, Kentuckians “were satisfied [...],and the inhabitants of a large part of West Virginia were grateful.” The statewas originally part of the British Virginia Colony (from 1607 to 1776) and thewestern part of the state of Virginia (from 1776 to 1863), whose populationbecame sharply divided over the issue of secession from the Union and in theseparation from Virginia, formalized by admittance to the Union as a new statein 1863. West Virginia’s history has been profoundly affected by itsmountainous terrain, numerous and vast river valleys, and rich naturalresources. These were all factors driving its economy and the lifestyles ofresidents, and remain so today. Prehistory For more details on this topic, seePrehistory of West Virginia. In a summary to quote Dr. Robert F. Maslowski,“The Adena Indians used pipes for ceremonies. They were carved of stone andthey were exceptional works of art. Pipes and the smoking of tobacco becamemore common during the Late Prehistoric period. They were often made of clayand rather plain.” “Nothing is known about Paleo-Indian and Archaic houses inthe Kanawha Valley, but archeologists have found evidence of Woodland and FortAncient houses.” “Woodland Indians lived in wigwams … The Woodland Indians grewsunflowers, gourds, squash and several seeds such as lambsquarter, may grass,sumpweed, smartweed and little barley.” “Fort Ancient Indians lived in muchlarger square or rectangular houses … The Fort Ancient Indians can beconsidered true farmers. They cultivated large agricultural fields around theirvillages. They no longer grew such a variety of seeds but concentrated ongrowing corn, beans, sunflowers, gourds, and many types of squash including thepumpkin. They also grew domestic turkeys and kept dogs as pets.” Europeanexploration and settlement Further information: Vandalia(colony) and Westsylvania Thomas Lee, the first manager of the OhioCompany of Virginia. In 1671, General Abram Wood, at the direction of RoyalGovernor William Berkeley of the Virginia Colony, sent a party which discoveredKanawha Falls. In 1716, Governor Alexander Spotswood with about thirty horsemenmade an excursion into what is now Pendleton County. John Van Metre, an Indiantrader, penetrated into the northern portion in 1725. The same year, Germansettlers from Pennsylvania founded New Mecklenburg, the present Shepherdstown,on the Potomac River, and others followed. King Charles II of England, in 1661,granted to a company of gentlemen the land between the Potomac and Rappahannockrivers, known as the Northern Neck. The grant finally came into the possessionof Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and in 1746, a stone waserected at the source of the North Branch Potomac River to mark the westernlimit of the grant. A considerable part of this land was surveyed by GeorgeWashington between 1748 and 1751. The diary kept by the surveyor indicates thatthere were already many squatters, largely of German origin, along the SouthBranch Potomac River. Christopher Gist, a surveyor in the employ of the firstOhio Company, which was composed chiefly of Virginians, explored the countryalong the Ohio River north of the mouth of the Kanawha River between 1751 and1752. The company sought to have a fourteenth colony established with the name“Vandalia”. Many settlers crossed the mountains after 1750, though they werehindered by Native American resistance. Few Native Americans lived permanentlywithin the present limits of the state, but the region was a common huntingground, crossed by many trails. During the French and Indian War the scatteredBritish settlements were almost destroyed. In 1774, the Crown Governor ofVirginia John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, led a force over the mountains, anda body of militia under then-Colonel Andrew Lewis dealt the Shawnee Indians,under Hokoleskwa (or “Cornstalk”), a crushing blow during the Battle of PointPleasant at the junction of the Kanawha and the Ohio rivers. Native Americanattacks continued until after the American Revolutionary War. During the war,the settlers in western Virginia were generally active Whigs and many served inthe Continental Army, however Claypool’s Rebellion of 17801781 where a group ofmen refused to pay Colonial taxes showed war-weariness in West Virginia.Trans-Allegheny Virginia For more details on this topic, see Virginia. Socialconditions in western Virginia were entirely unlike those in the easternportion of the state. The population was not homogeneous, as a considerablepart of the immigration came by way of Pennsylvania and included Germans,Protestant Ulster-Scots, and settlers from the states farther north. Countiesin the east and south were settled mostly by east Virginians. During theAmerican Revolution, the movement to create a state beyond the Alleghanies wasrevived and a petition for the establishment of “Westsylvania” was presented toCongress, on the grounds that the mountains made an almost impassable barrieron the east. The rugged nature of the country made slavery unprofitable, andtime only increased the social, political, economic and cultural differences(see Tuckahoe-Cohee) between the two sections of Virginia. The convention thatmet in 1829 to form a new constitution for Virginia, against the protest of thecounties beyond the mountains, required a property qualification for suffrageand gave the slave-holding counties the benefit of three-fifths of their slavepopulation in apportioning the state’s representation in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives. As a result, every county beyond the Alleghenies except onevoted to reject the constitution, which nevertheless passed because of easternsupport. The Virginia Constitutional Convention of 185051, the ReformConvention, addressed a number of issues important to western Virginians. Thevote was extended to all white males of 21 years of age plus. The governor,lieutenant-governor, the judiciary, sheriffs and other county officers were tobe elected by public vote. The composition of the General Assembly was changed,representation in the house of delegates was apportioned on the white basis ofthe census of 1850, but the Senate was fixed arbitrarily, the west receivingtwenty, and the east thirty, senators. This was made acceptable to the west bya provision that required the General Assembly to reapportion representation onthe white basis in 1865, or else put the matter to a public referendum. But theeast also gave itself a tax advantage in requiring a property tax at true andactual value, except for slaves. Slaves under the age of 12 years were nottaxed, and slaves over that age were taxed at only 0, a fraction of their truevalue. Small farmers, however, had all their assets, animals and land, taxed atfull value. Despite this tax and the lack of internal improvements in the west,the vote was 75,748 for and 11,063 against the new Constitution, most of thelatter being from eastern counties, which did not like the compromises made forthe west. Separation from Virginia See also: West Virginia in the AmericanCivil War Francis H. Pierpont, a leader during the Second Wheeling ConventionOn October 24, 1861, voters from 41 counties voted overwhelmingly to form a newstate, voter turnout was 34%. The name was subsequently changed from Kanawha toWest Virginia. West Virginia is the only state in the Union to secede from aConfederate state, Virginia, during the American Civil War. In Richmond onApril 17, 1861, the 49 delegates from the future state of West Virginia voted17 in favor of the Ordinance of Secession, 30 against, and 2 abstentions.Almost immediately after the vote to proceed with secession from the Unionprevailed in the Virginia General Assembly, a mass meeting at Clarksburgrecommended that each county in northwestern Virginia send delegates to aconvention to meet in Wheeling on May 13, 1861. When this First WheelingConvention met, 425 delegates from 25 counties were present, though more thanone-third of the delegates were from the northern panhandle area, but soonthere was a division of sentiment. Some delegates favored the immediateformation of a new state, while others argued that, as Virginia’s secession hadnot yet been passed by the required referendum, such action would constituterevolution against the United States. It was decided that if the ordinance wereadopted (of which there was little doubt), another convention including themembers-elect of the legislature should meet at Wheeling in June. At theelection on May 23, 1861, secession was ratified by a large majority in thestate as a whole, but in the western counties 34,677 voted against and 19,121voted for the Ordinance. The Second Wheeling Convention met as agreed on June11 and declared that, since the Secession Convention had been called withoutthe consent of the people, all its acts were void, and that all who adhered toit had vacated their offices. The Wheeling Conventions, and the delegatesthemselves, were never actually elected by public ballot to act on behalf ofwestern Virginia. An act for the reorganization of the government was passed onJune 19. The next day Francis H. Pierpont was chosen by other delegates at theconvention to be governor of Virginia, other officers were elected and theconvention adjourned. The legislature was composed of 103 members, 33 of whomhad been elected to the Virginia General Assembly on May 23. This numberincluded some hold-over Senators from 1859, and as such had vacated theiroffices to convene in Wheeling. The other members “were chosen even moreirregularly ome in mass meetings, others by county committee, and still otherswere seemingly self-appointed” This irregular assembly met on June 20 andappointed Unionists to hold the remainder of the state offices, organized arival state government and elected two United States senators who were promptlyrecognized by the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Thus, there were twostate governments in Virginia, one pledging allegiance to the United States andone to the Confederacy.

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The Wheeling Convention, which had taken a recess until August 6,reassembled on August 20, and called for a popular vote on the formation of anew state and for a convention to frame a constitution if the vote should befavorable. At the October 24, 1861 election, 18,408 votes were cast for the newstate and only 781 against. The honesty of these election results have beenquestioned, since the Union army then occupied the area and Union troops werestationed at many of the polls to prevent Confederate sympathizers from voting.Most of the affirmative votes came from 16 counties around the Northernpanhandle. Over 50,000 votes had been cast on the Ordinance of Secession, yetthe vote on statehood gathered little more than 19,000. Statehood vote of Oct.24, 1861 In Ohio County, home to Wheeling, only about one-quarter of theregistered voters cast votes. At the Constitutional Convention in November1861, Mr. Lamb of Ohio County and Mr. Carskadon said that in Hampshire County,out of 195 votes only 39 were cast by citizens of the state; the rest were castillegally by Union soldiers. In most of what would become West Virginia, therewas no vote at all as two-thirds of the territory of West Virginia had votedfor secession and county officers were still loyal to Richmond. Votes recordedfrom pro-secession counties were mostly cast elsewhere by Unionist refugeesfrom these counties. The convention began on November 26, 1861, and finishedits work on February 18, 1862; the instrument was ratified (18,162 for and 514against) on April 11, 1862. Harpers Ferry (as it appears today) changed hands adozen times during the American Civil War and was annexed by West Virginia. OnMay 13 the state legislature of the reorganized government approved theformation of the new state. An application for admission to the Union was madeto Congress, and on December 31, 1862, an enabling act was approved by Pres.Abraham Lincoln admitting West Virginia, on the condition that a provision forthe gradual abolition of slavery be inserted in its constitution. While manyfelt that West Virginia’s admission as a state was both illegal andunconstitutional, Lincoln issued his Opinion on the Admission of West Virginiafinding that “the body which consents to the admission of West Virginia, is theLegislature of Virginia,” and that its admission was therefore bothconstitutional and expedient. The convention was reconvened on February 12,1863, and the demand was met. The revised constitution was adopted on March 26,1863, and on April 20, 1863, Pres. Lincoln issued a proclamation admitting thestate at the end of 60 days (June 20, 1863). Meanwhile, officers for the newstate were chosen and Gov. Pierpont moved his capital to Union-occupiedAlexandria, where he asserted jurisdiction over all of the Virginia countieswithin the Federal lines. The question of the constitutionality of theformation of the new state was brought before the Supreme Court of the UnitedStates in the following manner: Berkeley and Jefferson counties lying on thePotomac east of the mountains, in 1863, with the consent of the reorganizedgovernment of Virginia voted in favor of annexation to West Virginia. Manyvoters of the strongly pro-secessionist counties were absent in the ConfederateArmy when the vote was taken and refused to acknowledge the transfer upon theirreturn. The Virginia General Assembly repealed the act of secession and in 1866brought suit against West Virginia, asking the court to declare the counties apart of Virginia which would have declared West Virginia’s admission as a stateunconstitutional. Meanwhile, on March 10, 1866, Congress passed a jointresolution recognizing the transfer. The Supreme Court, in 1870, decided infavor of West Virginia. During the American Civil War, West Virginia sufferedcomparatively little. George B. McClellan’s forces gained possession of thegreater part of the territory in the summer of 1861, culminating at the Battleof Rich Mountain, and Union control was never again seriously threatened,despite of the attempt by Robert E. Lee in the same year. In 1863, General JohnD. Imboden, with 5,000 Confederates, overran a considerable portion of thestate. Bands of guerrillas burned and plundered in some sections, and were notentirely suppressed until after the war ended. The Eastern Panhandle countieswere more affected by the war, with military control of the area repeatedlychanging hands. The area which became West Virginia actually furnished about anequal number of soldiers to the Federal and Confederate armies, approximately22,00025,000 each. The Wheeling government found it necessary in 1865 to stripvoting rights from returning Confederates in order to retain control. JamesFerguson, who proposed the law, said that if it was not enacted he would loseelection by 500 votes. The property of Confederates might also be confiscated,and in 1866 a constitutional amendment disfranchising all who had given aid andcomfort to the Confederacy was adopted. The addition of the Fourteenth andFifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution caused a reaction. TheDemocratic party secured control in 1870, and in 1871, the constitutionalamendment of 1866 was abrogated. The first steps toward this change had beentaken, however, by the Republicans in 1870. On August 22, 1872, an entirely newconstitution was adopted. Beginning in Reconstruction, and for several decadesthereafter, the two states disputed the new state’s share of the pre-warVirginia government’s debts, which had mostly been incurred to finance publicinfrastructure improvements, such as canals, roads, and railroads under theVirginia Board of Public Works. Virginians, led by former Confederate GeneralWilliam Mahone, formed a political coalition which was based upon this, theReadjuster Party. Although West Virginia’s first constitution provided for theassumption of a part of the Virginia debt, negotiations opened by Virginia in1870 were fruitless, and in 1871, Virginia funded two-thirds of the debt andarbitrarily assigned the remainder to West Virginia. The issue was finallysettled in 1915, when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that WestVirginia owed Virginia ,393,929.50. The final installment of this sum was paidin 1939. Hidden resources After Reconstruction, the new 35th state benefitedfrom development of its mineral resources more than any other single economicactivity. Saltpeter caves had been employed throughout Appalachia formunitions; the border between West Virginia and Virginia includes the“Saltpetre Trail,” a string of limestone caverns containing rich deposits ofcalcium nitrate that were rendered and sold to the government. The trailstretched from Pendleton County to the western terminus of the route in thetown of Union, Monroe County. Nearly half of these caves are on the WestVirginia side, including Organ Cave and Haynes Cave. In the late 18th-century,saltpetre miners in Haynes Cave found large animal bones in the deposits. Thesewere sent by a local historian and frontier soldier Colonel John Stuart toThomas Jefferson. The bones were named Megalonyx jeffersonii or great-claw andbecame known as Jefferson’s Three-toed Sloth. It was declared the officialState fossil of West Virginia in 2008. The West Virginia official State rock isbituminous coal, and the official State gemstone is silicified Mississippianfossil Lithostrotionella coral. The limestone also produced a useful quarryindustry, usually small, and softer, high-calcium seams were burned to produceindustrial lime. This lime was used for agricultural and construction purposes;for many years a specific portion of the C & O Railroad carried limestonerock to Clifton Forge, Virginia as an industrial flux. Salt mining had beenunderway since the 18th century, though it had largely played out by the timeof the American Civil War, when the red salt of Kanawha County was a valuedcommodity of first Confederate, and later Union forces. Later, moresophisticated mining methods would restore West Virginia’s role as a majorproducer of salt. However, in the second half of the 19th century, there was aneven greater treasure not yet developed, bituminous coal. It would fuel much ofthe Industrial Revolution in the U.S. and the steamships of many of the world’snavies. The residents (both Native Americans and early European settlers) hadlong known of the underlying coal, and that it could be used for heating andfuel. However, for a long time, very small “personal” mines were the onlypractical development. After the War, with the new railroads came a practicalmethod to transport large quantities of coal to expanding U.S. and exportmarkets. As the anthracite mines of northwestern New Jersey and Pennsylvaniabegan to play out during this same time period, investors and industrialistsfocused new interest in West Virginia. Geologists such as Dr. David T. Anstedsurveyed potential coal fields and invested in land and early mining projects.The completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) across the state tothe new city of Huntington on the Ohio River in 1872 opened access to the NewRiver Coal Field. Soon, the C&O was building its huge coal pier at NewportNews, Virginia on the large harbor of Hampton Roads. In 1881, the newPhiladelphia-based owners of the former Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad(AM&O), which stretched across Virginia’s southern tier from Norfolk, hadsights clearly set on the Mountain State, where the owners had large landholdings. Their railroad was renamed Norfolk and Western (N&W), and a newrailroad city was developed at Roanoke to handle planned expansion. After itsnew president Frederick J. Kimball and a small party journeyed by horseback andsaw firsthand the rich bituminous coal seam which his wife named “Pocahontas”,the N&W redirected its planned westward expansion to reach it. Soon, theN&W was also shipping from new coal piers at Hampton Roads. In 1889, in thesouthern part of the state, along the Norfolk and Western rail lines, theimportant coal center of Bluefield, West Virginia was founded. The “capital” ofthe Pocahontas coalfield, this city would remain the largest city in thesouthern portion of the state for several decades. It shares a sister city withthe same name, Bluefield, in Virginia. In the northern portion of the state andelsewhere, the older Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) and other lines alsoexpanded to take advantage of coal opportunities. The B&O developed coalpiers in Baltimore and at several points on the Great Lakes. Other significantrail carriers of coal were the Western Maryland Railway (WM), Southern Railway(SOU), and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N). Particularlynotable was a latecomer, the Virginian Railway (VGN). By 1900, only a largearea of the most rugged terrain of southern West Virginia was any distance fromthe existing railroads and mining activity. Within this area west of the NewRiver Coalfield in Raleigh and Wyoming counties lay the Winding Gulf Coalfield,later promoted as the “Billion Dollar Coalfield.” A protg of Dr. Ansted wasWilliam Nelson Page (18541932), a civil engineer and mining manager in FayetteCounty. Former West Virginia Governor William A. MacCorkle described him as aman who knew the land “as a farmer knows a field.” Beginning in 1898, Pageteamed with northern and European-based investors to take advantage of theundeveloped area. They acquired large tracts of land in the area, and Pagebegan the Deepwater Railway, a short-line railroad which was chartered tostretch between the C&O at its line along the Kanawha River and the N&Wat Matoaka, a distance of about 80 miles (130 km). Although theDeepwater plan should have provided a competitive shipping market via eitherrailroad, leaders of the two large railroads did not appreciate the scheme. Insecret collusion, each declined to negotiate favorable rates with Page, nor didthey offer to purchase his railroad, as they had many other short-lines.However, if the C&O and N&W presidents thought they could thus kill thePage project, they were to be proved mistaken. One of the silent partnerinvestors Page had enlisted was millionaire industrialist Henry HuttlestonRogers, a principal in John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust and an old handat developing natural resources, transportation. A master at competitive“warfare”, Henry Rogers did not like to lose in his endeavors and also had“deep pockets”. Instead of giving up, Page (and Rogers) quietly planned andthen built their tracks all the way east across Virginia, using Rogers’ privatefortune to finance the -million cost. When the renamed Virginian Railway (VGN)was completed in 1909, no fewer than three railroads were shippingever-increasing volumes of coal to export from Hampton Roads. West Virginiacoal was also under high demand at Great Lakes ports. The VGN and the N&Wultimately became parts of the modern Norfolk Southern system, and the VGN’swell-engineered 21st-century tracks continue to offer a favorable gradient toHampton Roads. As coal mining and related work became major employmentactivities in the state, there was considerable labor strife as workingconditions, safety issues and economic concerns arose. Even in the 21stcentury, mining safety and ecological concerns is still challenging to thestate whose coal continues to power electrical generating plants in many otherstates. Coal is not the only valuable mineral found in West Virginia, as thestate was the site of the 1928 discovery of the 34.48 carat (6.896 g) JonesDiamond. Demographics West Virginia population density map. Historicalpopulations Census Pop.  % 1790 55,873 1800 78,592 40.7% 1810 105,46934.2% 1820 136,808 29.7% 1830 176,924 29.3% 1840 224,537 26.9% 1850 302,31334.6% 1860 376,688 24.6% 1870 442,014 17.3% 1880 618,457 39.9% 1890 762,79423.3% 1900 958,800 25.7% 1910 1,221,119 27.4% 1920 1,463,701 19.9% 19301,729,205 18.1% 1940 1,901,974 10.0% 1950 2,005,552 5.4% 1960 1,860,421 7.2%1970 1,744,237 6.2% 1980 1,949,644 11.8% 1990 1,793,477 8.0% 2000 1,808,3440.8% Est. 2009 1,819,777 0.6% The center of population of West Virginia islocated in Braxton County, in the town of Gassaway. As of 2005, West Virginiahas an estimated population of 1,816,856, which is an increase of 4,308, or0.2%, from the prior year and an increase of 8,506, or 0.5%, since the year2000. This includes a natural decrease since the last census of 3,296 people(that is 108,292 births minus 111,588 deaths) and an increase from netmigration of 14,209 people into the state. Immigration from outside the UnitedStates resulted in a net increase of 3,691 people, and migration within thecountry produced a net increase of 10,518 people. Only 1.1% of the state’sresidents were foreign-born, placing West Virginia last among the 50 states inthat statistic. It also has the lowest percentage of residents that speak alanguage other than English in the home (2.7%). The five largest ancestrygroups in West Virginia are: American (23.2%), German (17.2%), Irish (13.5%),English (12%), Italian (4.8%). Large numbers of people of German ancestry arepresent in the northeastern counties of the state. 5.6% of West Virginia’spopulation were reported as under 5, 22.3% under 18, and 15.3% were 65 orolder. Females made up approximately 51.4% of the population. There were 20,928births in 2006. Of these, 19,757 (94.40% of the births, 95.19% of thepopulation) were to Non-Hispanic Whites. There were 22 births to AmericanIndians (0.11% of the births and 0.54% of the population), 177 births to Asians(0.85% of the births and 0.68% of the population), 219 births to Hispanics(1.05% of the births and 0.88% of the population) and 753 births to Blacks andothers (3.60% of the births and 3.56% of the population). The state’s NorthernPanhandle, and North-Central region feel an affinity for Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Also, those in the Eastern Panhandle feel a connection with theWashington, D.C. suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, and southern West Virginiansoften consider themselves Southerners. Finally, the towns and farms along themid-Ohio River have an appearance and culture somewhat resembling the Midwest.Demographics of West Virginia (csv) By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI* 2000(total population) 96.01% 3.49% 0.59% 0.66% 0.05% 2000 (Hispanic only) 0.63%0.04% 0.02% 0.01% 0.01% 2005 (total population) 95.99% 3.56% 0.56% 0.69% 0.05%2005 (Hispanic only) 0.80% 0.04% 0.02% 0.01% 0.01% Growth 200005 (totalpopulation) 0.46% 2.49% -3.96% 5.57% -2.80% Growth 200005 (non-Hispanic only)0.28% 2.30% -4.24% 5.96% -0.52% Growth 200005 (Hispanic only) 27.74% 21.51%5.56% -20.22% -16.67% * AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI isNative Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Religion Responses to a 2001 religioussurvey were: Christian (75%) Protestant (60%) Baptist (30%) Methodist (15%)Other Protestant/General Protestant (15%) Non-denominational Christian (7%)Roman Catholic (8%) Not religious (13%) A non-Christian religion (4%) 6%refused to answer. Economy Main article: Economy of West Virginia According toU.S. Census Bureau data, West Virginia is the third lowest in per capitaincome, ahead of only Arkansas and Mississippi. It also ranks last in medianhousehold income. The proportion of West Virginia’s adult population with abachelor’s degree is the lowest in the U.S. at 17.3%. West Virginia’s GDP was.6B in 2006, which was a 0.6% increase from 2005. This makes growth rate forthe state the 2nd lowest in the nation, ahead of only Michigan. However, by2008, West Virginia was one of only four U.S. states to have a surplus statebudget, indicating renewed economic growth. One of the major resources in WestVirginia’s economy is coal. According to the Energy Information Administration,West Virginia is a top coal-producer in the United States, second only toWyoming. West Virginia produces minimal oil and natural gas. Nearly all of theelectricity generated in West Virginia is from coal-fired power plants. WestVirginia produces a surplus of electricity and leads the Nation in netinterstate electricity exports. Farming is also practiced in West Virginia, buton a limited basis because of the mountainous terrain over much of the state.Bituminous coal seam in southwestern West Virginia West Virginia personalincome tax is based on federal adjusted gross income (not taxable income), asmodified by specific items in West Virginia law. Citizens are taxed within fiveincome brackets, which range from 3.0 percent to 6.5 percent. The state’sconsumer sales tax is levied at 6 percent. Effective January 1, 2004,calculation of WV consumer sales tax has been converted to a calculated figurefrom the bracket system, and remains at 6 percent for most goods (food goodsare now taxable at 3 percent). The computation of tax is carried out to thethird decimal place and rounded up when the third decimal place is five (.005)or higher; and similarly rounded down if the third place is four (.004) orlower. By virtue of this method, sales totaling .08 and below would not have asales tax associated with them. West Virginia counties administer and collectproperty taxes, although property tax rates reflect levies for stategovernment, county governments, county boards of education and municipalities.Counties may also impose a hotel occupancy tax on lodging places not locatedwithin the city limits of any municipality that levies such a tax.Municipalities may levy license and gross receipts taxes on businesses locatedwithin the city limits and a hotel occupancy tax on lodging places in the city.Although the Department of Tax and Revenue plays a major role in theadministration of this tax, less than one-half of 1 percent of the property taxcollected goes to state government. The primary beneficiaries of the propertytax are county boards of education. Property taxes are paid to the sheriff ofeach of the state’s 55 counties. Each county and municipality can impose itsown rates of property taxation within the limits set by the West VirginiaConstitution. The West Virginia legislature sets the rate of tax of countyboards of education. This rate is used by all county boards of educationstatewide. However, the total tax rate for county boards of education maydiffer from county to county because of excess levies. The Department of Taxand Revenue supervises and otherwise assists counties and municipalities intheir work of assessment and tax rate determination. The total tax rate is acombination of the tax levies from four state taxing authorities: state,county, schools and municipal. This total tax rate varies for each of the fourclasses of property, which consists of personal, real and intangibleproperties. Property is assessed according to its use, location and value as ofJuly 1. All property is reappraised every three years; annual adjustments aremade to assessments for property with a change of value. West Virginia does notimpose an inheritance tax. Because of the phase-out of the federal estate taxcredit, West Virginia’s estate tax is not imposed on estates of persons whodied on or after January 1, 2005. Transportation A toll plaza West VirginiaTurnpike. The New River Gorge Bridge. The Veterans Memorial Bridge, the new(Weirton-Steubenville Bridge) carries US 22 and is similar design of the newconnecting bridge of Proctorville, Ohio (Ohio Rt 7) with Huntington, WestVirginia thoroughfare US 60. Main article: Transportation in West VirginiaHighways form the backbone of transportation systems in West Virginia, withover 37,300 miles of public roads in the state. Airports, railroads, and riverscomplete the commercial transportation modes for West Virginia. Commercial airtravel is facilitated by airports in Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown,Beckley, Bluefield, Lewisburg, Bridgeport, Martinsburg, Wheeling, andParkersburg. Cities like Charleston, Huntington, Clarksburg, Fairmont,Bluefield, and Logan have bus-based public transit systems. Charleston also hasa limited number of trolley cars that run primarily through the downtown area.West Virginia University in Morgantown boasts the PRT (personal rapid transit)system, the state’s only single rail public transit system. Developed byBoeing, the WVU School of Engineering and the Department of Transportation, itwas a model for low-capacity light transport designed for smaller cities. Itwas also the model for Disney World’s tram system. Recreational transportationopportunities abound in West Virginia, including hiking trails, rail trails,ATV off road trails, white water rafting rivers, and two tourist railroads(Cass Scenic Railroad, and the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad). West Virginia iscrossed by several interstate highways. I-64 enters the state near WhiteSulphur Springs in the mountainous east, and exits for Kentucky in the west,near Huntington. I-77 enters from Virginia in the south, near Bluefield. Itruns north past Parkersburg before it crosses into Ohio. I-64 and I-77 aremerged in a stretch of toll road known as the West Virginia Turnpike, on whichconstruction began in 1952. It runs from just east of Charleston south to theexit for Princeton. I-68’s western terminus is in Morgantown. From there itruns east into Maryland. At the I-68 terminus in Morgantown, it meets I-79,which enters from Pennsylvania and runs through the state to its southernterminus in Charleston. I-70 briefly runs through West Virginia, crossing thenorthern panhandle through Wheeling. I-81 also briefly runs in West Virginiathrough the Eastern Panhandle where it goes through Martinsburg. An interstatequality road is currently being built that will eventually stretch from I-79near Weston, WV to at least Wardensville, WV. The western stretch is completeto Kerens, West Virginia but is incomplete from there to Moorefield, WV. It isnot certain whether the highway will eventually continue east past Wardensvilleto the Virginia state line and ultimately connect to I-81 just south ofWinchester, VA. Rail lines in the state used to be more prevalent, but manylines have been discontinued because of increased automobile traffic. Many oldtracks have been converted to rail trails for recreational use, and the stateis still served by a few commercial lines for hauling coal and by Amtrak. In2006 Norfolk Southern along with the West Virginia and U.S. Government approveda plan to modify many of the rail tunnels in West Virginia, especially in thesouthern half of the state, to allow for double stacked cars (see inter-modalfreight). This is expected to also help bring economic growth to the southernhalf of the state. Because of the mountainous nature of the entire state, WestVirginia has several notable tunnels and bridges. The most famous of these isthe New River Gorge Bridge, which was at a time the longest steel single-archbridge in the world with a 3,031-foot (924 m) span. The bridge is also picturedon the West Virginia state quarter. The Fort Steuben Bridge(Weirton-Steubenville Bridge) was at its time of construction one of only threecable-stayed steel girder trusses in the United States. “The Veterans MemorialBridge was designed to handle traffic from the Fort Steuben Bridge as well asits own traffic load,” to quote the Wierton Daily Times news paper. The80-year-old Fort Steuben Bridge (Weirton-Steubenville Bridge) was permanentlyclosed on January 8, 2009. In March 2008, The American State Litter Scorecard,presented at the American Society for Public Administration nationalconference, rated West Virginia as a nationally Worst state for removinglitter/debris from highways and public properties. The state has an aboveaverage fatality rate from litter/debris-caused vehicle accidents In fact, deerinsurance claims frequency is highest in West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvaniaand Virginia according to an Erie Insurance report concerning single caraccidents. Law and government Main article: Law and government of West VirginiaWest Virginia’s capital and seat of government is the city of Charleston,located in the southwest area of the state. Legislative branch Furtherinformation: West Virginia Legislature The West Virginia Legislature isbicameral, consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate. It is acitizen’s legislature, meaning that legislative office is not a full-timeoccupation, but rather a part-time position. Consequently, the legislatorsoften hold a full-time job in their community of residence. Typically, thelegislature is in session for 60 days between January and early April. Thefinal day of the regular session ends in a bewildering fury of last-minutelegislation in order to meet a constitutionally imposed deadline of midnight.During the remainder of the year, monthly interim sessions are held inpreparation for the regular session. Legislators also gather periodically for’special’ sessions when called by the governor. Executive branch Furtherinformation: List of Governors of West Virginia The governor, elected everyfour years on the same day as the U.S. Presidential election, is sworn induring the following January. Governors of West Virginia can serve twoconsecutive terms but must sit out a term before serving a third term inoffice. Judicial branch Further information: Supreme Court of Appeals of WestVirginia West Virginia is one of thirteen states that does not have a deathpenalty. For the purpose of courts of general jurisdiction, the state isdivided into 31 judicial circuits. Each circuit is made up of one or morecounties. Circuit judges are elected in partisan elections to serve eight-yearterms. West Virginia highest court is the Supreme Court of Appeals. The SupremeCourt of Appeals of West Virginia is the busiest appellate court of its type inthe United States. West Virginia is one of 11 states with a single appellatecourt. The state constitution allows for the creation of an intermediate courtof appeals, but the Legislature has never created one. The Supreme Court ismade up of five justices, elected in partisan elections to 12-year terms. WestVirginia is an alcoholic beverage control state. However, unlike most suchstates, it does not operate retail outlets, having exited that business in1990. It retains a monopoly on wholesaling of distilled spirits only. PoliticsThe West Virginia State Capitol. Main article: Politics of West Virginia At thestate level, West Virginia’s politics are largely dominated by the DemocraticParty, with Democrats currently holding the governorship, both senate seats,two of three house seats and both houses of the state legislature. WestVirginia also has a very strong tradition of union membership. EvangelicalChristians comprised 52 percent of the state’s voters in 2008. A poll in 2005showed that 53 percent of West Virginia voters are pro-life, the seventhhighest in the country. In 2006, 16 percent favored gay marriage. In 2008 58percent favored troop withdrawal from Iraq while just 32 percent wanted troopsto remain. On fiscal policy in 2008, 52 percent said raising taxes on thewealthier individuals would benefit the economy, while 45 percent disagreed.Democratic politicians are typically more conservative than the national party.Senator Robert Byrd opposes affirmative action and same-sex marriage. GovernorJoe Manchin and Congressmen Alan Mollohan and Nick Rahall are pro-life on theissue of abortion. Although, Junior Senator and former Governor Jay Rockefellercontinues to enjoy popularity in the state, having been reelected in 2008 with63.7% of the vote despite the fact that his political views are well to theleft of many of his statewide colleagues. In the Republican landslide of 1988,it was one of only ten states, and the only southern state (as defined by theUS Census), to give its electoral votes to Michael Dukakis; it was one of onlysix states to support Jimmy Carter over Ronald Reagan in 1980; and it supportedBill Clinton by large margins in both 1992 and 1996. Furthermore, the state hastrended increasingly Republican in Presidential elections; despite the earlierDemocratic wins in Presidential matchups mentioned, it narrowly elected GeorgeW. Bush over Al Gore in 2000, then re-elected Bush by a much larger margin in2004 and voted for John McCain in 2008 by a similar margin to 2004. The mostconsistent support for Democrats is found in the coal fields of southern WestVirginia (especially McDowell, Mingo, Logan, Wyoming, and Boone Counties),while Republicans are most numerous to the east of the Allegheny Mountains,especially in the state’s Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands. The NorthernPanhandle and North-Central West Virginia regions usually split right down themiddle in terms of being Republican or Democratic. Since 1996, coal interestshave contributed more than million to candidates for governor, the stateSupreme Court and the West Virginia Legislature. The 2004 election was arecord-setter for the coal industry. Gov. Joe Manchin received 1,214 from coalinterests for his campaign and 4,500 for his inaugural. West Virginians forCoal, the West Virginia Coal Association’s political action committee,contributed more money than any other coal industry donor. Further information:Political party strength in West Virginia State capitals Originally, the statecapital was in Wheeling (1863 to 1870). It was then moved to Charleston, a morecentral city (1870 to 1875). However it was returned to Wheeling in 1875, untilthe capitol burned down in 1885. It was moved back to Charleston in 1885, andit has been there since. Important cities and towns See also: List of cities inWest Virginia, List of towns in West Virginia, List of villages in WestVirginia, List of census-designated places in West Virginia Charleston is WestVirginia’s most populous city Huntington Parkersburg Morgantown Wheeling Largecities Charleston, 53,421 (2008 estimate: 50,302) Huntington, 51,475 (2008estimate: 49,185) Parkersburg, 33,099 (2008 estimate: 31,611) Morgantown,26,809 (2008 estimate: 29,642) Wheeling, 31,419 (2008 estimate: 28,913)Fairmont, 19,097 (2008 estimate: 19,024) Weirton, 20,411 (2008 estimate:18,748) Martinsburg, 14,972 (2008 estimate: 17,020) Beckley, 17,254 (2008estimate: 16,832) Clarksburg, 16,743 (2008 estimate: 16,441) South Charleston,13,390 (2008 estimate: 12,427) Teays Valley, 12,704 (2008 estimate: N/A)Bluefield, 11,451 (2008 estimate: 11,093) St. Albans, 11,567 (2008 estimate:10,996) Vienna, 10,861 (2008 estimate: 10,536) Cross Lanes, 10,353 (2008estimate: N/A) Towns and small cities Barboursville Berkeley Springs BridgeportBruceton Mills Buckhannon Charles Town Darkesville Dunbar Elkins Falling WatersFayetteville Farmington Follansbee Fort Gay Grafton Hamlin Harpers FerryHedgesville Hinton Inwood Kenova Keyser Kingwood Lewisburg Logan MadisonMannington Marlinton Milton Moorefield Moundsville Mount Hope Mullens NewMartinsville Nitro Oak Hill Paden City Paw Paw Petersburg Philippi PleasantValley Point Pleasant Princeton Ranson Ravenswood Richwood Ripley Romney SalemShepherdstown Shinnston Summersville Wayne Webster Springs Welch WellsburgWeirton Weston Westover White Sulphur Springs Williamson WilliamstownMetropolitan Statistical Areas Charleston, WV MSA Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OHMSA Morgantown, WV MSA Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH MSAWeirton-Steubenville, WV-OH MSA Wheeling, WV-OH MSA Cumberland, MD-WV MSAHagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV MSA Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMSA Winchester, VA-WV MSA Micropolitan Statistical Areas Beckley, WVMicropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Bluefield, WV-VA MSA Clarksburg, WV MSAFairmont, WV MSA Oak Hill, WV MSA Point Pleasant, WV-OH MSA Education Mainarticle: Education in West Virginia Fairmont Martinsburg West Virginia hasreceived low marks for reading and math skills at the eighth-grade level andranked 51st in college education rates. Colleges and universities Furtherinformation: List of colleges and universities in West VirginiaAlderson-Broaddus College Appalachian Bible College Bethany College BluefieldState College Concord University Davis and Elkins College Fairmont StateUniversity Glenville State College Kanawha Valley Community and TechnicalCollege Marshall University Mountain State University Ohio Valley UniversitySalem International University Shepherd University University of CharlestonWest Liberty University West Virginia Northern Community College West VirginiaSchool of Osteopathic Medicine West Virginia State University West VirginiaUniversity Potomac State College of West Virginia University West VirginiaUniversity Institute of Technology West Virginia University at Parkersburg WestVirginia Wesleyan College Wheeling Jesuit University Southern West VirginiaCommunity and Technical College Distinctions West Virginia state insignia MottoMontani semper liberi (Latin, “Mountaineers are Always Free”) Slogan “Wild andWonderful” “Open for Business” (former) “Almost Heaven” (former) Bird NorthernCardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Animal Black Bear (Ursus americanus) FishBrook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) Insect European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)Flower Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) Tree Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)Song “The West Virginia Hills” “This Is My West Virginia” “West Virginia, MyHome Sweet Home” Quarter Released in 2005 Butterfly Monarch Butterfly (Danausplexippus) Reptile Timber Rattler (Crotalus horridus) Wildflower FringedGentian (Gentiana crinita) Colors Old Gold and Blue Gemstone SilicifiedMississippian Fossil Coral (Lithostrotionella) Rock Coal Soil Monongahela SiltLoam Fruit Golden Delicious Apple (Malus domestica) The state has a rich, lushbeauty reflecting its temperate topography. Tourist sites include the New RiverGorge Bridge, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and many state parks. TheGreenbrier hotel and resort, originally built in 1778, has long been considereda premier hotel frequented by numerous world leaders and U.S. Presidents overthe years. West Virginia is also home to the Green Bank Telescope at theNational Radio Astronomy Observatory. A common story told about West Virginiais the folktale about how it got the nickname “West, By God, Virginia”.According to the legend, a West Virginia native who was being inducted into theUS Army during the First World War (some versions make it as early as theSpanish-American War), was repeatedly asked by his induction officer, “Whatpart of Virginia?” And the soldier, finally getting fed up with the confusion,said “Not Virginia! West Virginia! West, by God, Virginia!”. This story,whether true or not, has entered American folklore, and it is not unusual tohear not only West Virginians themselves, but other Americans, refer to thestate as “West, By God, Virginia”;, or often as “West By-God”, or sometimessimply as “By-God”. Many West Virginians, when travelling outside the state, orwhen abroad, enjoy paying homage to the legend by referring to their home statein this manner. Culture See also: Category:West Virginia culture Music Mainarticle: Music of West Virginia Appalachian music West Virginia’s folk heritageis a part of the Appalachian folk music tradition, and includes styles offiddling, ballad singing, and other styles that draw on Scots-Irish music. CampWashington-Carver, a Mountain Cultural Arts Center located at Clifftop inFayette County, hosts an annual Appalachian String Band Festival. The CapitolComplex in Charleston hosts The Vandalia Gathering, where traditionalAppalachian musicians compete in contests and play in impromptu jam sessionsand evening concerts over the course of the weekend. The Augusta HeritageCenter sponsored by Davis & Elkins College in Elkins in Randolph Countyproduces the annual Augusta Heritage Festival which includes intensiveweek-long workshops that are in the summer that help preserve Appalachianheritage and traditions. Classical music The West Virginia Symphony Orchestrawas founded in 1939, as the Charleston Civic Orchestra, before becoming theCharleston Symphony Orchestra in 1943. The first conductor was William R.Wiant, followed by the prominent conductor Antonio Modarelli, who was writtenabout in the November 7, 1949 Time Magazine for his composition of the RiverSaga, a six-section program piece about the Kanawha River according to theCharleston Gazette’s November 6, 1999 photo essay, “Snapshots of the 20thCentury”. Prior to coming to Charleston, Modarelli had conducted the WheelingSymphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra, according to the orchestra’swebsite. The Pulitzer Prize winning 20th century composer George Crumb was bornin Charleston and earned his Bachelor’s Degree there before moving outside thestate. There had also been a series of operatic style concerts performed inWheeling during mid-century as well. Musical innovation The West VirginiaCultural Center in Charleston is home to the West Virginia Division of Cultureand History which helps underwrite and coordinate a large number of musicalactivities. The Center is also home to Mountain Stage, the internationallybroadcast live-performance music radio program established in 1983. The programalso travels to other venues in the state such as the West Virginia UniversityCreative Arts Center in Morgantown. The Center hosts concerts sponsored by theFriends of Old Time Music and Dance, which brings an assortment of acousticroots music to West Virginians. The Center also hosts the West Virginia DanceFestival, which features classical and modern dance. Huntington’s historicKeith-Albee Theatre, built by brothers A.B. and S.J. Hyman, was originallyopened to the public on May 7, 1928, and hosts a variety of performing arts andmusic attractions. The theatre was eventually gifted to Marshall University andis currently going through renovation to restore it to its original splendor.Every summer Elkins hosts the Augusta Heritage Festival, which brings folkmusicians from around the world. The town of Glenville has long been home tothe annual West Virginia State Folk Festival. The Mountaineer Opera House inMilton hosts a variety of musical acts. John Denver’s song “Take Me Home,Country Roads” describes the experience of driving through West Virginia. TheBoston, Massachusetts band Big Wreck wrote a song titled “West Virginia”. TheDaily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival is West Virginia’slongest running music festival. It is for the eight public high schools inKanawha County. The festival began in 1947. It is held at the University ofCharleston Stadium at Laidley Field in downtown Charleston.

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