What Morgantown is known for

The Morgantown Destination encompasses a segment of three different states, specifically Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Morgantown city is the namesake of the destination and resides in the state of West Virginia, near the Pennsylvania border. Though the namesake is located in West Virginia, the destination’s landmass is primarily located in Pennsylvania. Zackquill Morgan originally settled the city of Morgantown on October 17, 1785, when “Morgan [officially] received the charter for the establishment of the town to be called Morgan’s Town.” The name later evolved into what is presently known as Morgantown.[7]

The destination’s namesake is particularly known for its West Virginia University. This fairly significant university was originally established in 1867. Currently, the school offers “350 different bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degree programs.” As of the fall 2021 semester, it was reported that 28,267 students were enrolled at the university.[2] Other historical buildings and structures located in the city include Morgantown History Museum, which features photographs of the area around the mid-20th century; the Art Museum of WVU; Monongalia Arts Center; Marion County Historical Society, which was established in 1912; The Wilson School Museum; and the Levi Shinn Log House, built in 1778.[9]

There are various attractions throughout the destination, most notably in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A few of the seemingly major attractions in the city include the Duquesne Incline, unique for its original use of transporting workers up a steep incline before cars became common in the area. Other attractions include the Phipps Conservatory; Point State Park; the Warhol Museum, which was established to honor the artist Andy Warhol; the Heinz History Center that offers six floors dedicated to the history of the area; and Randyland, which is said to be "Pittsburgh’s most colorful spot," due to the colorful walls painted by the local artist, Randy.[3]

In the city of Morgantown, it was reported that as of the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 30,712 people. One aspect of the namesake is that it is considered to be the “anchor of the Morgantown metropolitan area, which had a population of 138,176 in 2020.”[2]  It is evident in the same 2020 census that Pittsburgh, the more prominent city in the destination, has 302,425 residents within its city limits. Pittsburgh is the second largest city in the state of Pennsylvania and ranks 70th largest in the country.[8]

Geography

The Morgantown Destination is comprised of parts of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, the latter covering most of the region. West Virginia contains the region’s namesake, the city of Morgantown, which is located along the border of Pennsylvania. Aside from the namesake, a fairly notable city in the destination is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is found directly north of Morgantown.

As previously mentioned, Pennsylvania serves as the primary constituent for the destination. This region is located in the western area of the Appalachian Mountains, namely in the Appalachian Plateaus Province. There are three main waterways that run through the city of Pittsburgh: the Allegheny River, the Monongahela River, and the Ohio River, which is formed where the two aforementioned rivers meet. The drainage of these three rivers is noted to have divided the “relatively flat surface of the plateau” in the area. These rivers also assisted with the westward expansion, mainly because the waterways provided an “efficient means of transportation.”[10] 

Pittsburgh is home to various types of flora and fauna. One can often find white-tailed deer, American robins, eastern gray squirrels, red-tail hawks, eastern cottontails, Canada geese, and downy woodpeckers in the area. Concerning the plant species in the region, Christmas fern, bittersweet nightshade, chicory, amur honeysuckle, and common milkweed inhabit several parts of the destination.[6] 

Weather in Morgantown ranges throughout the year, typically varying from 25 degrees Fahrenheit to 84 degrees. The end of May to the beginning of September is considered the “warm season,” while December to March is regarded as the “cold season.” Specifically, the average high temperature during the warmer months is calculated to be 75 degrees. The colder months have been reported to produce an average high temperature of 49 degrees. The months of March to August are deemed the “wetter season” for the destination, with a 34% chance of precipitation on any given day. The two primary types of precipitation received in the Morgantown area are rain and snow, the latter being much more common between December and March. It is recommended that people visit the area anytime between mid-June to late September, based on the opinions of former tourists.[5]

History

The history of the Morgantown Destination differs based on the area. In Morgantown, the namesake of the destination, it is noted that its overall history is closely connected with the Anglo-French tension in the area. The early settlers of the area were primarily white settlers, namely Americans as well as British and French soldiers. Native Americans were the first indigenous people of the land; however, they had to fight for the territory after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763.[2] A few years later, in 1785, Zackquill Morgan purchased the first lot charter for the area, making him the first person to settle the town officially. The town has continued to grow since it was first established. Notable historical structures still standing in current times include the Old Stone House, which was built in 1813, and the John rogers home, which was built in 1840 and is now currently used as the Dering Funeral Home.[7]

Pittsburgh’s history involves General John Forbes, who was the man to name the city after a British Statesman in 1758. The area was originally inhabited by the Shawnee people until it was settled by white settlers, the first being French explorers. Another notable aspect of Pittsburgh’s history is that it is considered the “starting point for the Lewis and Clark Expedition.” Pittsburgh began to experience growth economically as it began producing a relatively large amount of iron, brass, tin, and glass. The city’s location near the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, which both combine to form the Ohio River, also boosted the growth of the area; this is due to the transportation the river granted through steamboats. There are more than 300 steel-related companies, giving the city of Pittsburgh the nickname “the steel city.” Another name for the city is the “city of bridges” since there are 446 bridges in the city.[1]

Due to the steel production in the area, the city of Pittsburgh began to be described as the “grimy, polluted industrial city,” which led to the area undertaking “an extensive redevelopment program that emphasized smoke-pollution control, flood prevention, and sewage disposal.” The city eventually became the first, in 1957, to generate its electricity by nuclear power.[11]

Currently, the destination has seen growth in its economy and population. Morgantown has a population of 30,712 people as of the 2020 census.[2] On the other hand, Pittsburgh has a higher population of people, accounting for 302,425 people, according to the same census. However, Pittsburgh currently has a declining population rate of -0.09%.[8]