What West Virginia is known for

West Virginia is located in the northeastern corner of the United States. The state’s name was originally going to be “Kanawha,” a name to honor the Native American tribes who first inhabited the land; instead, the name West Virginia was chosen as the state was originally part of Virginia, of whom it shares its eastern borders[9]. The state also shares borders with Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Kentucky. Some refer to West Virginia as the “Mountain State” this is because West Virginia is the only state within the Appalachian Mountain Region. The average elevation in West Virginia is higher than any other state east of the Mississippi River.[10] The capital city of West Virginia is Charleston, with a population of 45,000 residents. Other large cities in the state include Huntington, Morgantown, and Parkersburg. The overall population of West Virginia is 1.7 million people. The overall age distribution throughout the state is uniform. However, there is an increased number of citizens over the age of 65.[5]

There are several highly trafficked attractions in West Virginia, most of which contain outdoor activities. Blackwater Fall State Park, the Monongahela National Forest, New River Gorge National River, and the Seneca Caverns are all outdoor recreation areas. Here visitors can hike, go whitewater rafting, cave exploring, camping, and mountain biking. The New River Gorge National River Bridge is located in West Virginia. This bridge was once the largest steel-arch bridge in the world but has since become the largest in the western hemisphere. The bridge was built in 1977. The Greenbrier is the most visited attraction in West Virginia. The resort was built shortly after the Civil War and has been visited by 26 of the United States Presidents. Greenbrier has over 700 rooms and a museum known for its underground bunker and large gardens. Tours are offered through the bunker and museum.[2]

Around 3.96 million individuals visit West Virginia every year. Around 10% of these visitors come for outdoor recreational activities, another 10% visit while passing through on road trips while hiking the Appalachian Trail, or for bus tours. The remaining percentage are typically in the area to visit family and friends. Most people who spend time in West Virginia come from the land’s neighboring states, such as Ohio or Virginia. West Virginia makes around 4.3 billion dollars from tourism annually. Over 45,000 tourism-related jobs are funded in West Virginia.[3]

Prominent businesses in West Virginia include the West Virginia United Health System, CAMC Health System, and the Brand Energy and Infrastructure Services.[4] Most revenue made in West Virginia comes from the state’s primary industries: mining and lumber work. Due to the state’s dense forestry and quantity of mountains, there are several large lumber yards where wood products are produced. In the mountains, many primary metals are mined, raising over 4.6 billion dollars annually. Coal mining is another large point of industry in West Virginia. The state produces 15% of the nation’s fossil fuel energy. Salts, oils, natural gases, and other chemicals are produced from within the state as well.[1]

Geography

The state of West Virginia has a shape some would say looks like a leaping frog. The state is bordered by Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. Its unusual shape is created from its winding borders along the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio River.[4] The state can be divided into two geographical regions. The first of these is the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region. This region includes the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains, starting in the state's northeastern corner and running through to the southwest. The geography of this region is known for its parallel ridges cut by streams, steep canyons, forests, caves, and high peaks. The state's highest point, called the Spruce Knob, is located in the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region. The second geographical region is the Allegheny Plateau. The region covers the remaining land of the state with flat-topped hills, round peaks, deep gorges, and the Allegheny Front, a wall of mountains dividing the state.[10]

Over 70 variations of mammals inhabit West Virginia, along with 300 species of birds. Some of the mammals in the state include northern flying squirrels, raccoons, skunks, and the state animal, the black bear. Common birds in the region include wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, barred owls, bald eagles, cerulean warblers, and the ruby-throated hummingbirds. Reptiles and amphibians in West Virginia consist of corn snakes, fence lizards, five-lined skinks, cricket frogs, and Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders. West Virginia spring salamanders come from the state and live in both geographical regions.[7]

Plantlife in the region is ample as Virginia is the United State's third most-forested state. The most common trees within the state include hemlock, red spruce, cedar, ash, pitch pine, hickory, and cucumber tree. West Virginia is known for its timber and protected woodlands; consequently, the land produces a large amount of lumber and wood products. Many varieties of wildflowers cover the state, such as the Virginia bluebells, Virginia buttonweed, Virginia strawberry, and Virginia potatoes.[8] West Virginia's largest cash crops produce hay, corn, and tobacco.[1]

The weather in West Virginia changes dramatically based on the season, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. The summer season lasts from May to September and has an average daily temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest month of the year in West Virginia is July. Winter is typically three months long, from December to March. The average daily temperature during the cold season is around 49 degrees Fahrenheit, its coldest month being January. It is partly cloudy year round in West Virginia. West Virginia gets an average of 45 inches of rain per year and 32 inches of snow. There is an average of 144 days with precipitation every year.[6]

History

The first signs of life in West Virginia can be dated back at least 10,500 years. Archaeologists discovered spear points used to hunt mastodons and mammoths, which gave proof of human life. Thousands of years after these pre-ice age people, Native American tribes such as the Cherokee, Iroquois, Manahoac, Meherrin, Monacan, Nottaway, Shawnee, and Saponi populated the land. In the 1600s, British and other European travelers and explorers arrived in the area.[4] For over 100 years, the land that now encompasses Kentucky, North Carolina, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York was called Virginia.

The British-controlled government in Virginia offered free acres to European settlers who came to the area in 1730. Because of this, a large portion of the Native American land was taken by these settlers. As a result, the natives joined the French in the land war against the British; this war lasted from 1756 to 1763. When the British won, the land of West Virginia remained part of Virginia during the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783. During this time, the area that would become the state of West Virginia started to create its own boundaries.[9]

Refusing to withdraw from the Union with the rest of Virginia during the Civil War, the separation of the state began. In 1859, John Brown led the Harpers Ferry Raid in an effort to fight against slavery.[4] West Virginia separated from the rest of Virginia in 1861 and was going to change the land’s name to Kanawha, a name to honor the Native American tribes in the land; however, because they separated from Virginia, officials decided to keep its name as part of theirs. West Virginia was officially declared a state in 1863, making it the 35th state in the Union. Some famous individuals born in West Virginia include Pearl S. Buck (an author), Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (a Confederate general), and Chuck Yeager (the first person to break the sound barrier while flying).[9]