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Relocation to West Virginia

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"Mountaineers Are Always Free"  

West Virginia was the 35th state to be admitted into the Union on Saturday, June 20, 1863.

West Virginia Covers 24,231 square miles with a population of 1,808,344 people.  West Virginia is the 41st largest state and the 37th most populous.  West Virginia was named for Queen Elizabeth I (she was known as the virgin queen).  The highest point in West Virginia is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet above sea level which is the tallest mountain in the Alleghenies and has 25 miles of hiking trails.  The first brick pavement in the U.S. was laid in Charleston in 1870 by a private citizen at his own expense.

More facts about West Virginia

West Virginia's capital - Charleston

Border States - Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia 

Nickname - Mountain State

West Virginia is the most mountainous state east of the Rockies. It is located entirely in the Appalachian region, the largest mountain system in the eastern United States. Its irregular shape is the result of rivers and mountains that form its borders. It has two "panhandles" that stick out -- one in the north and one in the east. The rivers that form the borders are the Potomac River, the Ohio River, the Big Sandy River, and the Tug Fork River. The crest of the highest point of the Appalachian mountains forms the eastern border between Virginia and West Virginia.

Mountains, rivers, and forests cover the state of West Virginia. There are some waterfalls, several caves, and some mineral springs, too. Deer and bear live throughout the state. Elk, bison, wolves, and mountain lions used to live here but they moved west when settlers came into the area. Lots of small animals, like rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, chipmunks, etc., live here, too.

West Virginia is mostly a rural state. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the state's people live in rural areas.

In 1731 Morgan Morgan established the first permanent white settlement on Mill Creek in present-day Berkeley County. Coal, a mineral asset that would figure significantly in West Virginia's history, was discovered in 1742. Other important natural resources are oil, natural gas, and hardwood forests, which cover about 75% of the state's area.

The state's rapid industrial expansion began in the 1870s, drawing thousands of European immigrants and African Americans into the region. Miners' strikes between 1912 and 1921 required the intervention of state and federal troops to quell the violence.

Today, the state ranks second in total coal production, with about 15% of the U.S. total. It is also a leader in steel, glass, aluminum, and chemical manufactures. Major agricultural commodities are poultry and eggs, dairy products, and apples.

Located on the Blackwater River in Tucker County, the scenic Blackwater Falls are 65 feet high and the gorge below is more than 525 feet deep. The falls are located within Blackwater Falls State Park, which features an observation point on the gorge's rim and stairways descending to the foot of the falls.

Tourism is increasingly popular in mountainous West Virginia. More than a million acres have been set aside in 37 state parks and recreation areas and in 9 state forests and 2 national forests. Major points of interest include Harpers Ferry and New River Gorge National River, The Greenbrier and Berkeley Springs resorts, the scenic railroad at Cass, and the historic homes in the Eastern Panhandle.