Portal:West Virginia

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Template:/box-header

Seal of West Virginia.
Location of West Virginia within the United States.
West Virginia state flag.png

West Virginia Listeni/ˌwɛst vərˈɪnjə/ is a state in the Appalachian, Southern, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast. The capital and largest city is Charleston.

West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions, breaking away from Virginia during the American Civil War. The new state was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, and was a key Civil War border state. West Virginia was the only state to form by seceding from a Confederate state, and was one of only two states formed during the American Civil War (the other one being Nevada, which separated from Utah Territory).

The Census Bureau considers West Virginia part of the South, as most of the state is south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The northern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio with the West Virginia cities of Wheeling and Weirton being just across the border from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, while Bluefield is less than 70 miles (110 km) from North Carolina and Harper's Ferry is considered to be a part of the Washington metropolitan area. The unique position of West Virginia means that it is often included in a wide variety of geographical regions, including the Upland South, the Southeastern United States and often the 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".[1] For these reasons, West Virginia is often considered simultaneously the northernmost Southeastern state, the southernmost Northeastern state, the westernmost Mid-Atlantic state and the easternmost Midwestern state. The state is noted for its mountains and diverse topography, its historically significant logging and coal mining industries, and its political and labor history. It is one of the most densely karstic areas in the world, making it a choice area for recreational caving and scientific research. The karst lands contribute to much of the state's cool trout waters. It is also known for a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, including skiing, whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and hunting.

More about West Virginia...

Template:/box-footer

Show new selections

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.

I-68 at the West Virginia – Maryland state line
Interstate 68 (I-68) is a 112.6-mile (181.2 km) Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting Interstate 79 in Morgantown to Interstate 70 in Hancock. I-68 is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as U.S. Route 48 (US 48). In Maryland, the highway is known as the National Freeway, an homage to the historic National Road, which I-68 parallels between Keysers Ridge and Hancock. The freeway mainly spans rural areas, and crosses numerous mountain ridges along its route. A road cut at Sideling Hill exposed geological features of the mountain and has become a tourist attraction. The construction of I-68 began in 1965 and continued for over 25 years, with completion on August 2, 1991. While the road was under construction, it was predicted that economic conditions would improve along the corridor. The two largest cities connected by the highway are Morgantown and Cumberland, both with permanent populations of fewer than 30,000 people. Despite the fact that the freeway serves major metropolitan areas, I-68 provides a major transportation route in western Maryland and northern West Virginia and also provides an alternative to the Pennsylvania Turnpike for westbound traffic from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.

Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park
Credit: UED77

The Glade Creek Grist Mill is a replica of the original Cooper's Mill that was located nearby. The current grist mill, completed in 1976, was assembled from parts of three other West Virginia mills. The park's web site describes the Glade Creek Grist Mill as a living, working monument to the more than 500 mills that used to set throughout the state.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.

Elizabeth J. Feinler

Template:/box-header

Related WikiProjects
Parent Project

United States

Main Project

West Virginia

Similar Projects

VirginiaOhioKentuckyMarylandPennsylvaniaTennesseeNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaNew YorkDelaware Template:/box-footer

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.

Kenneth R. Shadrick, publicized as the first American killed in the Korean War
Kenneth R. Shadrick (August 4, 1931 – July 5, 1950) was a private in the United States Army at the onset of the Korean War. He was widely but incorrectly reported as the first American soldier killed in action in the war. Shadrick was born in Harlan County, Kentucky, one of 10 children. After dropping out of high school in 1948, he joined the US Army, and spent a year of service in Japan before being dispatched to South Korea at the onset of the Korean War in 1950 along with his unit, the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. During a patrol, Shadrick was killed by the machine gun of a North Korean T-34 tank, and his body was taken to an outpost where journalist Marguerite Higgins was covering the war. Higgins later reported that he was the first soldier killed in the war, a claim that was repeated in media across the United States. His life was widely profiled, and his funeral drew hundreds of people. His death is now believed to have occurred after the first American combat fatalities in the Battle of Osan. However, since the identities of other soldiers killed before Shadrick remain unknown, he is still often (incorrectly) cited as the first US soldier killed in the war.

Template:/box-header

Template:/box-footer

Template:/box-header

Select [+] to view subcategories

Template:/box-footer

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.

Robert Byrd official portrait.jpg
America’s true power lies not in its will to dominate but in its ability to inspire.

Template:/box-header

Featured content
Featured content

List of Governors of West VirginiaInterstate 68List of counties in West VirginiaFile:New River Gorge Bridge.jpg

Good articles
Good articles

John BeileinFrank BucklesByzantine (band)William W. ChapmanFort Henry BridgeInterstate 70 in West VirginiaInterstate 81 in West VirginiaInterstate 470 (Ohio – West Virginia)Marcellus FormationDick PaddenPullman SquareKenneth R. ShadrickHarry Randall TrumanJerry WestWheeling Tunnel Template:/box-footer

Template:/box-header

Things you can do
  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.