State of West Virginia
Flag of West Virginia Seal Nickname(s): Mountain State Motto(s): Montani semper liberi
Official language(s)	none (de facto English)
Demonym	West Virginian
Capital	Charleston
Largest city	Charleston
Largest metro area	Charleston metro area
Area	Ranked 41st in the US
- Total	24,230 sq mi (62,755 km²)
- Width	130 miles (210 km)
- Length	240 miles (385 km)
- % water	0.6
- Latitude	37° 12′ N to 40° 39′ N
- Longitude	77° 43′ W to 82° 39′ W
Population	Ranked 37th in the US
- Total	1,808,344
- Density	75.1/sq mi  29.0/km² (27th in the US)
- Median income	$38,029 (48th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Spruce Knob[1] 4,863 ft  (1,427 m)
- Mean	1,500 ft  (460 m)
- Lowest point	Potomac River[1] 240 ft  (73 m)
Admission to Union	June 20, 1863 (35)
Governor	Joe Manchin (D)
Lieutenant Governor	None[2]
U.S. Senators	Robert C. Byrd (D) Jay Rockefeller (D)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	WV US-WV
Website	www.wv.gov

West Virginia (IPA: /ˌwɛstvɚˈdʒɪnjə/) is a state in the Appalachia / Upland South region of the United States. West Virginia broke away from Virginia during the American Civil War and was admitted to the Union as a separate state on June 20, 1863 (an anniversary now celebrated as West Virginia Day in the state). It is one of only two states formed during the American Civil War (along with Nevada) and is the only state to form by seceding from a Confederate state. Image File history File links Flag_of_West_Virginia. ... Flag of West Virginia The flag of West Virginia consists of the States coat of arms on a pure white field with a dark blue border. ... The West Virginia State Seal was adopted in 1863. ... This is a list of U.S. state nicknames -- both official and traditional (official state nicknames are in bold). ... Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States. ... The Great Seal of West Virginia with the state motto found at the bottom. ... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_WV.svg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): West Virginia ... The United States does not have an official language, but English is spoken by about 82% of the population as a native language. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... This is a list of U.S. state residents names: ^ The first name listed is the name recommended by the United States Government Printing Office Style Manual. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... Nickname: Home of Hospitality, The most northern city of the South and the most southern city of the North, Chemicalville, The Capitol City C-Town Location of Charleston in West Virginia. ... Nickname: Home of Hospitality, The most northern city of the South and the most southern city of the North, Chemicalville, The Capitol City C-Town Location of Charleston in West Virginia. ... In the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has produced a formal definition of metropolitan areas. ... The Charleston WV metroploitan area or the Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area is the largest metro area in the state of West Virginia. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... This is a complete list of the states of the United States ordered by total area, land area, and water area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... “km” redirects here. ... Map of states populations (2007) This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison) as of July 1, 2007, according to the 2007 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. ... Map of states showing population density This is a list of the 50 U.S. states, ordered by population density. ... For information on the income of individuals, see Personal income in the United States. ... This is a list of United States states by elevation. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... The order which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order that the others were admitted to the union This is a list of U.S. states by date of statehood, that is, the date when each U.S. state joined the Union. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Joseph (Joe) Manchin III (born August 24, 1947 in Farmington, West Virginia) was elected Governor of West Virginia in the 2004 election and took office on January 17, 2005. ... This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Robert Carlyle Byrd (born November 20, 1917) is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia and a member of the Democratic Party. ... John Davison Rockefeller IV (born June 18, 1937), generally known as Jay Rockefeller, has served as a Democratic U.S. Senator from West Virginia since 1985. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... These are tables of congressional delegations from West Virginia to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Map of U.S. time zones with new CST and EST areas displayed This is a list of United States of America States by time zone. ... Metronome, a public art installation showing the time in New York City The Eastern Time Zone (ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of Northern America and the west coast of South America. ... ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... The following is a list of abbreviations used by the United States Postal Service. ... U.S. states This is a list of traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territorries, which were in wide use prior to the U.S. postal abbreviations. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ... The Upland South does not correspond well to state lines, although the term Upper South is sometimes defined by states. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Flag of West Virginia West Virginia Day is a holiday celebrated every June 20th in the American state of West Virginia. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Nevada. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial)  States that seceded under CSA control  States and territories claimed by CSA without formal secession and/or control Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia...

West Virginia is one of the Border States. The Census Bureau considers West Virginia part of the South because most of the state is below the Mason-Dixon Line, though its northern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio with Weirton on a parallel with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The unique position of West Virginia means that it is included in a wide variety of geographical regions (though often only marginally), such as the Upper South, the Upland South, the Southeastern United States, the Southern United States, the Mid-Atlantic, Appalachia and even the Midwestern United States and Northeastern United States. Notably, it is the only state which entirely lies within the area served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, which is a common definition of "Appalachia".^[3] While West Virginians recognize that their state is part of Appalachia, many do not welcome the term for purposes of self-identification.^[4] The state's Northern Panhandle, and North-Central region feel an affinity for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Also, those in the Eastern Panhandle feel a connection with the Washington, D.C. suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, and southern West Virginians often consider themselves Southerners. Finally, the towns and farms along the mid-Ohio River have an appearance and culture somewhat resembling the Midwest.^[5] The capital and largest city is Charleston. In this map:  Union states  Union territories  Bleeding Kansas  Union border states that permitted slavery  The Confederacy  Union territories that permitted slavery The term border states refers to the five slave states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and West Virginia which bordered a free state and aligned with the Union... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... Historic Southern United States. ... For the fictional character, see Mason Dixon (Rocky Balboa character). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Weirton is a city located in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. ... Pittsburgh redirects here. ... The Upland South is defined by landform, history, and culture, and does not correspond well to state lines. ... The Upland South does not correspond well to state lines, although the term Upper South is sometimes defined by states. ... The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a Southeast region of the United States, and organizations that need to subdivide the US are free to define a Southeast region to fit their needs. ... Historic Southern United States. ... The Mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America, located in the northeastern section of the country, includes the following states and district: Delaware Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. West Virginia Virginia These areas provided the young United States with heavy industry and served as... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the Midwestern region in the United States. ... Regional definitions vary The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States. ... Areas included within the Appalachian Regional Commissions charter The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. ... Northern panhandle The Northern Panhandle is a region in the U.S. state of West Virginia. ... Map of North-Central WV North-Central West Virginia is a region of the U.S. State of West Virginia. ... Pittsburgh redirects here. ... Eastern panhandle The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia is a narrow stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, bordering Maryland and Virginia. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... “Suburbia” redirects here. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Southern West Virginia is a culturally and geographically distinct region in the U.S. state of West Virginia. ... Historic Southern United States. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... This article is about the Midwestern region in the United States. ... Nickname: Home of Hospitality, The most northern city of the South and the most southern city of the North, Chemicalville, The Capitol City C-Town Location of Charleston in West Virginia. ...

The state is noted for its great natural beauty, its historically significant logging and coal mining industries, and its labor history. It is also well known as a tourist destination for those people interested in outdoor activities such as skiing, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, fishing, hiking, and hunting. Logging is the process in which trees are cut down usually as part of a timber harvest which is good for the environment. ... Surface coal mining in Wyoming in the United States of America. ... til the development of wage labour. ...

Geography

Shaded relief map of the Cumberland Plateau and Ridge-and-valley Appalachians.

The summit of Spruce Knob is often covered in clouds.

Main article: Geography of West Virginia

See also: List of counties in West Virginia and List of West Virginia county seats

West Virginia is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north; by Ohio to the north and west; by Kentucky to the west; by Maryland to the north and east; and by Virginia to the east and south. The Ohio and Potomac rivers form parts of the boundaries. Download high resolution version (800x784, 472 KB)Relief Map: Cumberland Plateau, West Virginia and Ridge and Valley region of Virginia Image is Shaded Relief Imagery, derived from the US Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset, modified by Pollinator. ... Download high resolution version (800x784, 472 KB)Relief Map: Cumberland Plateau, West Virginia and Ridge and Valley region of Virginia Image is Shaded Relief Imagery, derived from the US Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset, modified by Pollinator. ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ... The Ridge-and-valley Appalachians are a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from northern New Jersey westward into Pennsylvania and southward into Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. ... Image File history File links Spruce_Knob. ... Image File history File links Spruce_Knob. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Map of West Virginia. ... This is a list of counties in West Virginia: West Virginia county boundaries Barbour County Berkeley County Boone County Braxton County Brooke County Cabell County Calhoun County Clay County Doddridge County Fayette County Gilmer County Grant County Greenbrier County Hampshire County Hancock County Hardy County Harrison County Jackson County Jefferson... Barbour County - Philippi Berkeley County - Martinsburg Boone County - Madison Braxton County - Sutton Brooke County - Wellsburg Cabell County - Huntington Calhoun County - Grantsville Clay County - Clay Doddridge County - West Union Fayette County - Fayetteville Gilmer County - Glenville Grant County - Petersburg Greenbrier County - Lewisburg Hampshire County - Romney Hancock County - New Cumberland Hardy County - Moorefield... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... This article is about the U.S. state. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ...

West Virginia is the only state in the nation located entirely within the Appalachian Mountain range, and in which all areas are mountainous; for this reason it is nicknamed The Mountain State. About 75% of the state is within the Cumberland Plateau and Allegheny Plateau regions. Though the relief is not high, the plateau region is extremely rugged in most areas. The Appalachian Mountains are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ... Map of the Allegheny plateau. ...

On the eastern state line with Virginia, high peaks in the Monongahela National Forest region give rise to an island of colder climate and ecosystems similar to those of northern New England and eastern Canada. The highest point in the state is atop Spruce Knob, which at 4,863 feet (1,482 m)^[1] is covered in a boreal forest of dense spruce trees at altitudes above 4,000 feet (1,220 m). Spruce Knob lies within the Monongahela National Forest and is a part of the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. [1] A total of six wilderness areas can also be found within the forest. Outside the forest to the south, the New River Gorge is a 1,000-foot (304 m) deep canyon carved by the New River. The National Park Service manages a portion of the gorge and river that has been designated as the New River Gorge National River, one of only 15 rivers in the U.S. with this level of protection. This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Monogahela National Forest. ... For other uses, see Ecological Systems Theory. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Taiga (SAMPA /taIg@/, from Russian тайга́) is a biome characterized by its coniferous forests. ... Species About 35; see text. ... Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area is a United States National Recreation Area located in West Virginia within the Monongahela National Forest. ... For other uses, see Wilderness (disambiguation). ... Map of the Kanawha River watershed, with the New River and its watershed highlighted. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... New River Gorge National River is a National Park Service-owned park designed to the protect the New River) Gorge in southern West Virginia. ...

Other areas under protection and management include:

The native vegetation for most of the state was originally mixed hardwood forest of oak, chestnut, maple, beech, and white pine, with willow and American sycamore along the state's waterways. Many of the areas are rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty, a fact that is appreciated by native West Virginians, who refer to their home as Almost Heaven. Ecologically, most of West Virginia falls into the Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests ecoregion. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail, is a 2,174 mile (3500 km) marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, running from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. ... The Bluestone National Scenic River protects a portion of the Bluestone River in southern West Virginia. ... The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR), in Tucker County, West Virginia, is the 500th National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to be established (August 11, 1994) in the USA. The Refuge preserves a moist valley with unique wetlands and uplands at a relatively high elevation in the Allegheny Mountains. ... The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a National Park Service_managed National Historical Park in northern Maryland that was established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1961. ... Summersville Dam The Gauley River National Recreation Area, located near Summersville, West Virginia, protects a 25 mile (40 kilometer) portion of the Gauley River and a 5. ... The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are U.S. National Forests that combine to form one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States They cover 1. ... Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers in and around Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. ... The Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge extending along 362 miles of the Ohio River in the U.S. state of West Virginia. ... Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is, by far, the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere. ... Beech is a typical temperate zone hardwood For the record label, see Hardwood Records. ... This article is about a community of trees. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus (from Latin oak tree), which are listed in the List of Quercus species, and some related genera, notably... Species Castanea alnifolia - Bush Chinkapin* Castanea crenata - Japanese Chestnut Castanea dentata - American Chestnut Castanea henryi - Henrys Chestnut Castanea mollissima - Chinese Chestnut Castanea ozarkensis - Ozark Chinkapin Castanea pumila - Allegheny Chinkapin Castanea sativa - Sweet Chestnut Castanea seguinii - Seguins Chestnut * treated as a synonym of by many authors Chestnut is a... For other uses, see Maple (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Beech (disambiguation). ... Binomial name L. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the extreme north of Georgia. ... Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix bakko Salix barrattiana... Binomial name L. The American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), also known as American plane, Occidental plane, and Buttonwood, is one of the species of Platanus native to North America. ... Rainforests are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth. ... Source of bioregions data used to male map: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. ... An ecoregion, sometimes called a bioregion, is a relatively large area of land or water that contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities. ...

The underlying rock strata are sandstones, shales, bituminous coal beds, and limestones laid down in a near shore environment from sediments derived from mountains to the east, in a shallow inland sea on the west. Some beds illustrate a coastal swamp environment, some river delta, some shallow water. Sea level rose and fell many times during the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian eras, giving a variety of rock strata. The Appalachian Mountains are some of the oldest on earth, having formed over 300 million years ago. Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ... Shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Bituminous coal Bituminous coal is a relatively hard coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... “Mississippian” redirects here. ... The Pennsylvanian is an epoch of the Carboniferous period lasting from roughly 325 Ma to 299 Ma (million years ago). ...

Climate

The climate of West Virginia borders on a humid subtropical climate (Koppen climate classification Cfa) in the lower elevations of the extreme southwestern part of the state (including Huntington) and parts of the Eastern Panhandle east of the Appalachians with hot, humid summers and milder winters. The rest of the state has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa, except Dfb at the higher elevations) with warm to hot, humid summers and cold winters, increasing in severity with elevation. However, the weather is subject in all parts of the state to change. The hardiness zones range from zone 5b in the central Appalachian mountains to zone 7a in the warmest parts of the lowest elevations. In the Eastern Panhandle and the Ohio River Valley temperatures are warm enough to see and grow subtropical plants such as Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Crepe Myrtle, Albizia julibrissin, American Sweetgum and even the occasional needle palm and sabal minor. These plants don't thrive as well in other parts of the state. The humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. ... The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ... Huntington is a city located in the U.S. State of West Virginia along the Ohio River. ... The humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. ... The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ... The Appalachian Mountains are a system of North American mountains running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to Alabama in the United States, although the northernmost mainland portion ends at the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... Binomial name Magnolia grandiflora L. The Southern magnolia, also known as bull bay, is a magnolia native to the southeastern United States, from coastal North Carolina south to central Florida, and west to East Texas. ... Binomial name Albizia julibrissin (Willd. ... Binomial name Liquidambar styraciflua L. American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), also known as Redgum, is a deciduous tree in the genus Liquidambar native to warm temperate areas of eastern North America. ... Binomial name Rhapidophyllum hystrix (Pursh) H.Wendl. ... Binomial name Sabal minor (Jacq. ...

Average January temperatures range from around 28°F (-2°C) near the Cheat River to 43°F (5°C) along sections of the border with Kentucky. July averages range from 67°F (19°C) along the North Branch Potomac River to 76°F (24°C) in the western part of the state. It is cooler in the mountains than in the lower sections of the state. The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ...

Annual precipitation ranges from less than 32 inches (810 mm) in the lower eastern section to more than 56 inches (1,400 mm) in higher parts of the Allegheny Front. Slightly more than half the rainfall occurs from April to September. Dense fogs are common in many valleys of the Kanawha section, especially the Tygart Valley. West Virginia is also one of the cloudiest states in the nation, with the cities of Elkins and Beckley ranking 9th. and 10th. in the U.S. respectively for the number of cloudy days per year (over 210). In addition to persistent cloudy skies caused by the damming of moisture by the Alleghenies, West Virginia also experiences some of the most frequent precipitation in the nation, with Snowshoe averaging nearly 200 days a year with either rain or snow. Snow usually lasts only a few days in the lower sections but may persist for weeks in the higher mountain areas. An average of 34 inches (86 cm) of snow falls annually in Charleston, although during the winter of 1995-1996 more than three times that amount fell as several cities in the state established new records for snowfall. Average snowfall in the Allegheny Highlands can range up to 180 inches per year. Kanawha may refer to several places in the United States: a city in Iowa; see Kanawha, Iowa a county in West Virginia; see Kanawha County, West Virginia. ... Map of the Monongahela River basin, with the Tygart Valley River highlighted. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

History

Main article: History of West Virginia

West Virginia's unique geography allowed for exploration from two concurrent directions and a duality of a "Border State". West Virginia is the only American state formed as a direct result of the American Civil War. ...

Prehistory

The area now known as West Virginia was a favorite hunting ground of numerous Native American peoples before the arrival of European settlers. Many ancient man-made earthen mounds from various mound builder cultures survive, especially in the areas of Moundsville, South Charleston, and Romney. Although little is known about these civilizations, the artifacts uncovered give evidence of a complex, stratified culture that practiced metallurgy. This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mound builder (disambiguation). ... Moundsville is a city in Marshall County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. ... South Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 13,390 at the 2000 census. ... Romney is a city in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States of America. ... Georg Agricola, author of De re metallica, an important early book on metal extraction Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their compounds, which are called alloys. ...

European exploration and settlement

Further information: Vandalia (colony) and Westsylvania

Thomas Lee, the first manager of the Ohio Company of Virginia.

In 1671, General Abram Wood, at the direction of Royal Governor William Berkeley of the Virginia Colony, sent a party which discovered Kanawha Falls. In 1716, Governor Alexander Spotswood with about thirty horsemen made an excursion into what is now Pendleton County. John Van Metre, an Indian trader, penetrated into the northern portion in 1725. The same year, German settlers from Pennsylvania founded New Mecklenburg, the present Shepherdstown, on the Potomac River, and others followed Vandalia was the name of a proposed British colony in North America that never materialized. ... Westsylvania was a name suggested for an unrealized 14th state of the United States; it was to include southwestern Pennsylvania, the western panhandle of Maryland, nearly the whole of what is now West Virginia, a small part of what is now Virginia, and a small part of eastern Kentucky. ... Image File history File links Portrait of Thomas Lee File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Portrait of Thomas Lee File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Thomas Lee (c. ... The Ohio Country, showing present-day U.S. state boundaries The Ohio Company, more formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the colonization of the Ohio Country. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For the 15th-century marquess, see Marquess of Berkeley. ... The 1609 charter for the Virginia colony from sea to sea The Virginia Colony refers to the English colony in North America that existed during the 17th and 18th centuries before the American Revolution. ... Alexander Spotswood c. ... Pendleton County is a county located in the state of West Virginia. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 803 at the 2000 census. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ...

King Charles II of England, in 1661, granted to a company of gentlemen the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, known as the Northern Neck. The grant finally came into the possession of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and in 1746, a stone was erected at the source of the North Branch Potomac River to mark the western limit of the grant. A considerable part of this land was surveyed by George Washington between 1748 and 1751. The diary kept by the surveyor indicates that there were already many squatters, largely of German origin, along the South Branch Potomac River. Christopher Gist, a surveyor in the employ of the first Ohio Company, which was composed chiefly of Virginians, explored the country along the Ohio River north of the mouth of the Kanawha River between 1751 and 1752. The company sought to have a fourteenth colony established with the name "Vandalia". Many settlers crossed the mountains after 1750, though they were hindered by Native American resistance. Few Native Americans lived permanently within the present limits of the state, but the region was a common hunting ground, crossed by many trails. During the French and Indian War the scattered British settlements were almost destroyed. Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. ... The Rappahannock at sunset The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia in the United States, approximately 184 mi (294 km). ... The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, USA. This peninsula is bounded by the Potomac River on the north and the Rappahannock River on the south. ... Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was born in 1692 at Leeds Castle in Kent, England and died at his seat at Greenway Court near White Post in Clarke County, Virginia on December 12, 1781. ... The Fairfax Stone was placed settling a boundary dispute between Lord Fairfax and the English Privy Council concerning the Northern Neck of the Potomac River to determine proprietorship during the Survey of 1736/37. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... Christopher Gist (1706 – 1759) was one of the first white explorers of the Ohio Country in what would become the United States, credited for providing Great Britain and her colonists with the first detailed description of the Ohio Country. ... The Ohio Country, showing present-day U.S. state boundaries The Ohio Company, more formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the colonization of the Ohio Country. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... Map of the Kanawha River watershed, showing its main tributary, the New River. ... Vandalia was the name of a proposed British colony in North America that never materialized. ... Combatants France First Nations allies: Algonquin Lenape Wyandot Ojibwa Ottawa Shawnee Great Britain American Colonies Iroquois Confederacy Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) Casualties 3,000 killed, wounded or captured 10,040 killed, wounded or captured The French and...

In 1774, the Crown Governor of Virginia John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, led a force over the mountains, and a body of militia under then-Colonel Andrew Lewis dealt the Shawnee Indians, under Hokoleskwa (or "Cornstalk"), a crushing blow during the Battle of Point Pleasant at the junction of the Kanawha and the Ohio rivers. Native American attacks continued until after the American Revolutionary War. During the war, the settlers in western Virginia were generally active Whigs and many served in the Continental Army. John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore (1730 – February 25, 1809) was the British governor of the Province of New York from 1770 to 1771 and the Virginia Colony, from September 25, 1771 until his departure to New York on New Years Eve, 1776. ... Statue of Andrew Lewis on the Battle of Point Pleasant monument. ... For other meanings, see Shawnee (disambiguation). ... Cornstalk (1720?–November 10, 1777) was a prominent leader of the Shawnee people in the era of the American Revolution. ... The Battle of Point Pleasant was an action in Lord Dunmores War between Virginia militia and the Indians fought on October 10, 1774 near modern Point Pleasant, West Virginia. ... This article is about military actions only. ... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ...

Trans-Allegheny Virginia, 1776-1861

For more details on this topic, see Virginia.

Social conditions in western Virginia were entirely unlike those in the eastern portion of the state. The population was not homogeneous, as a considerable part of the immigration came by way of Pennsylvania and included Germans, Protestant Ulster-Scots, and settlers from the states farther north. During the American Revolution, the movement to create a state beyond the Alleghanies was revived and a petition for the establishment of "Westsylvania" was presented to Congress, on the grounds that the mountains made an almost impassable barrier on the east. The rugged nature of the country made slavery unprofitable, and time only increased the social, political, economic and cultural differences (see Tuckahoe-Cohee) between the two sections of Virginia. This article is about the U.S. state. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... Tuckahoe was a term used during the 18th and 19th centuries to describe a cultural group, i. ...

The convention that met in 1829 to form a new constitution for Virginia, against the protest of the counties beyond the mountains, required a property qualification for suffrage and gave the slave-holding counties the benefit of three-fifths of their slave population in apportioning the state's representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a result, every county beyond the Alleghenies except one voted to reject the constitution, which nevertheless passed because of eastern support. Though the Virginia Constitution of 1850 provided for white male suffrage, the distribution of representation among the counties continued to give control to the section east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Another grievance of the west was the large expenditure for internal improvements at state expense by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the East compared with the scanty proportion allotted to the West. Blue Ridge Mountains, Shining Rock Wilderness Area Appalachian Mountain system The Blue Ridge is a mountain chain in the eastern United States, part of the Appalachian Mountains, forming their eastern front from Georgia to Pennsylvania. ... The Virginia Board of Public Works was a governmental agency which oversaw and helped finance the development of Virginias internal transportation improvements during the 19th century. ...

Separation from Virginia

See also: West Virginia in the American Civil War

John S. Carlile, a leader during the First Wheeling Convention

West Virginia is the only state in the Union to secede from a confederate state, Virginia, during the American Civil War.^[6] On April 17, 1861 fifteen of the forty-six delegates from the area located in the present state of West Virginia voted to secede from the United States.^[7] Almost immediately after the vote to proceed with secession prevailed in the Virginia General Assembly, a mass meeting at Clarksburg recommended that each county in northwestern Virginia send delegates to a convention to meet in Wheeling on May 13, 1861. When this First Wheeling Convention met, 425 delegates from 25 counties were present, though more than one-third of the delegates were from the northern panhandle area,^[8] but soon there was a division of sentiment. Some delegates favored the immediate formation of a new state, while others argued that, as Virginia's secession had not yet been passed by the required referendum, such action would constitute revolution against the United States.^[9] It was decided that if the ordinance were adopted (of which there was little doubt), another convention including the members-elect of the legislature should meet at Wheeling in June. At the election on May 23, 1861, secession was ratified by a large majority in the state as a whole, but in the western counties approximately 34,677 voted against and 19,121 voted for the Ordinance.^[10] West Virginia was formed and added to the Union as a direct result of the American Civil War (see History of West Virginia). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 482 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (633 × 787 pixel, file size: 59 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) http://hdl. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 482 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (633 × 787 pixel, file size: 59 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) http://hdl. ... John Carlile John Snyder Carlile (December 16, 1817 – October 24, 1878) was an American merchant, lawyer, and politician, including a United States Senator. ... The Wheeling Convention, held in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1861, was a series of two meetings that ultimately repealed the Ordinance of Secession passed by Virginia, thus establishing the splinter state of West Virginia. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Secession (disambiguation). ... Clarksburg is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 16,743 at the 2000 census. ... Nickname: The Friendly City Location in Ohio County in the State of West Virginia Coordinates: Settled 1769 Established 1806 Incorporated 1836  - Mayor Nick Sparachane  - City Manager Robert Herron  - Chief of Police Kevin Gessler, Sr. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Wheeling Convention, held in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1861, was a series of two meetings that ultimately repealed the Ordinance of Secession passed by Virginia, thus establishing the splinter state of West Virginia. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The Second Wheeling Convention met as agreed on June 11 and declared that, since the Secession Convention had been called without the consent of the people, all its acts were void, and that all who adhered to it had vacated their offices. The Wheeling Conventions, and the delegates themselves, were never actually elected by public ballot to act on behalf of western Virginia.^[11] An act for the reorganization of the government was passed on June 19. The next day Francis H. Pierpont was chosen by other delegates at the convention to be governor of Virginia, other officers were elected and the convention adjourned. The legislature was composed of 103 members, 33 of whom had been elected to the Virginia General Assembly^[12] on May 23. This number included some hold-over Senators from 1859, and as such had vacated their offices to convene in Wheeling. The other members "were chosen even more irregularly-some in mass meetings, others by county committee, and still others were seemingly self-appointed"^[13] They met on June 20 and filled the remainder of the state offices, organized a state government and elected two United States senators who were recognized at Washington, D.C. At that point, therefore, there were two state governments in Virginia, one pledging allegiance to the United States and one to the Confederacy. is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Francis Harrison Pierpont (January 25, 1814–March 24, 1899), called the Father of West Virginia, was an American lawyer, politician, and governor of (the free parts of) Virginia during the Civil War. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial)  States that seceded under CSA control  States and territories claimed by CSA without formal secession and/or control Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia...

The Wheeling Convention, which had taken a recess until August 6, then reassembled on August 20, and called for a popular vote on the formation of a new state and for a convention to frame a constitution if the vote should be favorable. At the election on October 24, 1861, 18,489 votes were cast for the new state and only 781 against. Most of the affirmative votes came from ten counties in the Wheeling area.^[14] Over 50,000 votes had been cast on the Ordinance of Secession, yet the vote on statehood gathered only a little over 19,000. In Ohio County, home to Wheeling, a little over one-quarter of the voters cast a vote.^[15] At the Constitutional Convention in November 1861, 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 by Union soldiers.^[16] In most of what would become West Virginia, there was no vote at all as two-thirds of the territory of West Virginia had voted for secession and county officers were still loyal to Richmond.^[17] Votes recorded from Secession counties were mostly cast in the northwest by Unionist refugees from those counties.^[18] The convention began on November 26, 1861, and finished its work on February 18, 1862, and the instrument was ratified (18,162 for and 514 against) on April 11, 1862. is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about 1862 . ...