West Virginia State Guide

Capital: Charleston

June 20, 1863 (35th state)

In 1861, Virginians in the northwestern part of the state defied Virginia's secession from the United States. The region chose to remain in the Union and form a new state. West Virginia was admitted into the Union on June 20, 1863, after conditions requiring the gradual emancipation of slaves had been met. The state motto is "Mountaineers are always free," and West Virginia lives up to its nickname of the "Mountain State." With an average altitude of 1,500 feet above sea level, it's the highest of any state east of the Mississippi River. For a long time, West Virginia was a leading producer of coal in North America, but many people left to pursue better employment opportunities. That trend has turned around, and now the state's economy is in a more stable condition. The capital is Charleston, and the state flower is the big rhododendron.

Largest City- Charleston
Area - 24,231 square miles [West Virginia is the 41st biggest state in the USA]
Population - 1,808,344 (as of 2000) [West Virginia is the 37th most populous state in the USA]
Major Industries - mining (coal), livestock, chemical manufacturing, glass products, tourism
Major Rivers - Ohio River, Guyandotte River, Greenbrier River
Major Lakes - Tygart Lake, Bluestone Lake
Highest Point - Spruce Knob - 4,863 feet (1,482 m) above sea level
Lowest Point - Potomac River - 240 feet (73 m) above sea level
Bordering States - Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia

West Virginia Almanac: Facts and Figures, Economy, and Geography

• Almanac
• Economy
• Geography

West Virginia College, Universities, and Schools

• Colleges and Universities
• Public Colleges
• Community Colleges
• Private Colleges & Independent Schools

West Virginia Cities Colleges:

West Virginia Financial and Insurance Services

• Credit Counseling
• Debt Consolidation
• Debt Management & Counseling
• Home Mortgages
• Insurance Companies

West Virginia Home Services

• Heating & Cooling Services
• Home Improvements
• Lawn & Garden Services
• Security Services
• Termite & Pest Control

West Virginia Media and Traffic Reports

• News & Headlines
• Newspapers
• Radio Stations
• Televisions
• Traffic Reports

West Virginia History, Timelines, and Famous People

• First Inhabitants
• History
• Timeline
• Famous People
• State Facts

West Virginia Counties

• Counties

West Virginia Symbols

• State Symbols

• State Bird
• State Flag
• State Flower
• State Motto
• State Name
• State Seal
• State Song
• State Tree

Other West Virginia Resources

• & nbsp;Missing Children
• CapitolImpact.com - Government Gateway
• lexisONE(R) - Legal Research
• Kaiser StateHealthFacts.org - Health Facts
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• Merriam-Webster's Atlas - Geography
• NACo - Counties
• National Park Guide
• State Home Page
• State Transportation Department
• WV Cottages
• WV Web Sites