West Virginia (WV)

West Virginia State Flag

 

"Mountain State"

"The Cog State" 

Why visit West Virginia?

A four season laid back atmosphere for Civil War Historians and outdoor lovers seeking an opportunity for backpacking, battle reenactments, bicyclists, birdwatching, boating, camping, fishing, forests, golf, hiking, history, horseback riding, hunting, ice skating, jet skiing, kayaking, motorcyclists, mountains, mountain biking, natural landscape, outdoor activities, rivers, rock climbing, scuba diving, shopping, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, water skiing, white water rafting, wildlife and wind-surfing. 

Babcock State Park (Glade Creek Grist Mill), Clifftop, WV. Photo Credit: David Frampton/Pixabay 

At a Glance

• Capital: Charleston
• State Bird: Cardinal
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Rhododendron
• State Gemstone: Mississippian Lithostrotionella Fossil Coral
• State Mammal: American Black Bear
• State Rock: Bituminous Coal

Harpers Ferry, WV. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Fun Facts

• Built in 1778, the  luxury The Greenbrier Hotel & Resort has been frequented by numerous world leaders and presidents.
  
• Originally a part of Virginia was called Kanawha, changing their name before officially becoming a state (1863).
• In 1884, the first organized golf club in our country opened (White Sulphur Springs).
• During World War 1 (1914-1918), their goal was used to fuel ships for cleanliness and creating less smoke compared to others.
• In 1918, Harvey S Firestone (Founder), Henry Ford (Industrialist), John Burroughs (Naturalist) and Thomas Edison (Inventor) took a camping trip through the Potomac Highlands marking a historic site (Cheat Mountain Club).
  
• In 2014, a chemical spill contaminated the water supply of hundreds of thousands people in nine counties.
• During The Great Depression (1929-1933), introduced a line of china, Fiestaware.
• Our country's largest producers of coal.
  
• Economy relies on chemical manufacturing, glass production, livestock and tourism.
• Has more than 600 wild caverns.
  
• There are more than 2,900 geocaches hidden in the state.
  
• The largest hand cut sandstone building in the western hemisphere, Weston State Hospital.
• Features 1 National Forest, 9 State Forests and 37 State Parks.
  

Wheeling, WV. Photo Credit: Pete Chacalos/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Bill Withers (Musician), Brad Dourif (Actor), Brad Paisley (Musician), Chris Sarandon (Actor), Derron Williams (Athlete), Don Knotts (Actor), Elizabeth McLaughlin (Actress), John Corbett (Actor), Josh Stewart (Actor), Joyce DeWitt (Actress), Mary Lou Retton (Athlete), OJ Mayo (Athlete), Randy Moss (Athlete), Ryan Dorsey (Actor) and Steve Harvey (Comedian), just to name a few.
• Movies to Inspire You: Ashes to Glory (2000), Child of God (1973), Lassie (1994), Matewan (1987), October Sky (1999), Sommersby (1992), The Deer Hunter (2011) and We Are Marshall (2006), just to name a few.
• Reads Set in West Virigina: Charley Bland (written by Mary Lee Settle), Child of the Mountains (written  by Marilyn Shank), Dogs of God \/ Pinckney Benedict (written by Pinckney Benedict), Storming Heaven (written by Denise Giardina), Strange as This Weather Has Been (written by Ann Pancake), West Virginia (written by John Alexander-Williams) and When Miners March (written by Bill Blizzard), just to name a few.

Waldomore, Clarksburg, WV. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• Along the hills rated best to see the Milky Way and star gazing with the naked eye.
• National Radio Quiet Zone (Green Bank) heavily restricted by law to facilitate scientific research and the gathering of military intelligence. Therefore, cellular connectivity or wifi use is not accessible.
  
• Migrating birds stop in state between summer or winter destinations.
  
• White water rafting is usually best in the spring and early summer.
• Fly fishing streams are considered best in the world.
  
• Diving water courses (Mt Storm Lake) is usually 80°F year-round because of the cooling system to adjacent coal plant.
  
• Autumn Foliage is late September-October, peaking around mid October.
• Feeding wildlife is illegal.
  
• Ski season is usually December-March.
  
• The poverty rate is one of the highest in the nation.

Subject to drought, floods, humidity, landslides, power outages, snowstorms, tornadoes, tropical storms and wildfires. 

• Best Time to Visit: Late April - June
• Coldest Month: January
• Hottest Month: July 
• Peak Season: May - October

New River, WV. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Alexander Wade House, Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Martinsburg Shops, Campbell Mansion, Clover Site, Davis & Elkins Historic District, Elkins Coal & Coke Company Historic District, Grave Creek Mound, Matewan Historic District, Old Main Bethany College, Reber Radio Telescope, The Greenbrier, Traveller's Rest, West Virginia Independence Hall, Weston Hospital and  Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 
• Museums: Anna Jarvis Birthplace Museum, Art Museum of West Virginia University, Barbour County Historical Museum, Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, Belle Boyd House, Beverly Heritage Center, Craik-Patton House, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, Fostoria Glass Museum, General Adam Stephen House & Triple Brick Museum, Heritage Farm Museum & Village, Hinton City Railroad Museum, Historic Shepherdstown Commission & Museum, Huntington Museum of Art, Jefferson County Museum, John Brown Wax Museum, Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum, Morgantown History Museum, Mothman Museum, Mountaineer Military Museum, Museum of Radio & Technology, Museum of the Berkeley Springs, North House Museum, Oglebay Institute Glass Museum, Oil & Gas Museum, Pearl S Buck Birthplace Museum, Point Pleasant River Museum, Princeton Railroad Museum, Raleigh County Veteran's,  Royce J & Caroline B Watts Museum, The National Museum of the Paranormal, The Ramsdell House, The Stirrup Gallery of Davis & Elkins College, The West Virginia Museum of American Glass, Top Kicks Military Museum, T-Rex Science Center, US Navy Poster Museum, West Virginia Division of Culture & History, West Virginia Independence Hall, West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, West Virginia Railroad Museum, West Virginia State Museum, West Virginia State Farm Museum, Wildwood House Museum and Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia.
• Popular Attractions: Adam Stephen Monument, Aggie's, Appalachian Mountain Range, Babcock State Park, Beckeley Exhibiton Coal Mine, Berkeley Springs State Park, Birdhouse Cafe, Blackwater Falls State Park, Blenko Glass Company, Calhoun County Park, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Central United Methodist Church, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Cooper Gallery, Coopers Rock State Forest, Cranberry Glades, Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, Fenton Glass, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington National Forest, Grave Creek Mound Archeological Complex, Greenbrier River Trail, Harmony Ridge Gallery, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, Hawks Nest State Park, Heritage Port, High Country Gallery, Holly River State Park, Hollywood Casino, Homer Laughlin China Co, Huntington's Blenko Glass Factory, International Mother's Day Shrine, ISKCON New Vrindaban, Jefferson National Forest, Lost World Caverns, Mardi Gras Casino, McColloch's Leap Monument, Mt Storm Lake, Monongahela National Forest, Mystery Hole, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, New River Gorge, New River Gorge Bridge, Oglebay Good Zoo, Oglebay Park, Organ Cave, Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, Pipestem Resort State Park, Seneca Caverns, Seneca Rocks, Shepherdstown Museum, Smoke Hole Caverns, Snowshoe Mountain, Spruce Knob, Summersville Lake, Tamarack, The Tansy Clothing & Antique Shop, Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce, Waldomore, West Virginia Botanic Garden, West Virginia Penitentiary, West Virginia Wildlife Center,  Wheeling Island Casino & Racetrack and White Sulphur Springs.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Beckley, Berkeley Springs, Buckhannon, Charleston, Clarksburg, Fairmont, French Creek, Grantsville, Green Bank, Lansing, Lewisburg, Marlinton, Martinsburg, Milton, Morgantown, Newell, Ronceverte, Parkersburg,  Shepherdstown, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling, White Sulphur Springs and Williamstown.
• Special Events: (February) Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting, Cabin Fever Craft Beer Festival, (April) Elkins Ramp Festival, Feast of the Ramson, Vandalia  Gathering, West Virginia Dance Festival, (May) Mountain Music Festival, Strawberry Festival, West Virginia Strawberry Festival, (June) FestivALL, Music in the Mountains Bluegrass Festival, Wanderlust Festival, West Virginia State Folk Festival, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, (July) All Good Music Festival, Augusta Heritage Festival, Chili Cook Off, Greenbrier Classic, Mountain State Arts & Craft Fair,(August) Appalachian String Band Festival, Heritage Music Blues Festival, (September) Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette & Band Festival, Grape Stomping Wine Festival, Harvest Festival, Mountain State Forest Festival, Roadkill Cook Off, West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, (October) Bridge Day, Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival, New River Gorge Bridge Party, (November) Lewisburg Holiday Festival and (December) Festival of Lights. 

Fayette Station Bridge, Fayetteville, WV. Photo Credit: skeeze/Pixabay 

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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.