West Virginia is known for:
- Scenic mountain beauty
- Coal mining industry
- Outdoor adventure opportunities
- Historic sites
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
WV |
| State Capital |
Charleston |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 24,230 sq miles; Land Only: 24,078 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
55 |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia |
| Highest Point | Spruce Knob, 4,863 feet |
| Tallest Building | West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, 293 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, capacity 60,000 |
| National Parks | New River Gorge National Park |
| State Population (2020) | 1,793,716 |
| State Population Density | 74.5 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
304, 681 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Charleston (45,879)
Huntington (44,934)
Morgantown (30,847)
Parkersburg (29,009)
Wheeling (26,283)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Animal | Black bear |
| State Bird |
Cardinal |
| State Butterfly | Monarch butterfly |
| State Colors | Old gold and blue |
| State Fish | Brook trout |
| State Flower |
Rhododendron |
| State Fruit | Golden delicious apple |
| State Gem | Silicified Mississippian fossil coral |
| State Insect | Honeybee |
| State Motto |
Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free) |
| State Nickname |
Mountain State |
| State Rock | Coal |
| State Soil | Monongahela silt loam |
| State Song | "West Virginia My Home Sweet Home", "The West Virginia Hills", "This is My West Virginia" |
| State Tree |
Sugar maple |
Sports Teams
| City |
Table Tennis Club |
| Charleston | Charleston Table Tennis Club |
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Big Sandy Superstore Arena: Municipal complex in Huntington, West Virginia.
- Blackwater Falls State Park: State park in Davis, West Virginia.
- Cacapon State Park: State park in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
- Camden Park: Amusement park in Huntington, West Virginia.
- Canaan Valley: State park in Davis, West Virginia.
- Charleston Civic Center: Municipal complex in Charleston, West Virginia.
- Clay Center: Art museum in Charleston, West Virginia.
- Harpers Ferry: Historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia.
- Monongahela National Forest: National forest in Elkins, West Virginia.
- New River Gorge Bridge: Steel arch bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia.
- Seneca Rocks: Rock landmark in Pendleton County, West Virginia.
- Snowshoe Mountain: Ski resort in Snowshoe, West Virginia.
- Summersville Lake: Reservoir in central West Virginia.
- The Greenbrier: Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
- Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum: Former hospital-turned-landmark in Weston, West Virginia.
- Wheeling Island: Island in the Ohio River, in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in West Virginia. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
| Festival / Event |
When |
Location |
| Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting | February | Berkeley Springs |
| West Virginia Strawberry Festival | May | Buckhannon |
| Charleston Sternwheel Regatta | Late June to July | Charleston |
| Appalachian String Band Music Festival | August | Clifftop |
| West Virginia State Fair | August | Lewisburg |
| Mothman Festival | September | Point Pleasant |
| West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival | September | Clarksburg |
| West Virginia Wine and Jazz Festival | Late September to early October | Morgantown |
| Mountain State Forest Festival | Late September to October | Elkins |
| Balloons Over Morgantown | October | Morgantown |
| Bridge Day | October | New River Gorge Bridge in Fayette County |
Popular Iconic West Virginia Foods
West Virginia is famous for the following foods:
- Pepperoni Rolls
- Buckwheat Pancakes
- West Virginia Slaw Dogs
- Venison
- Ramps
- Apple Butter
- Biscuits and Gravy
- Soup Beans
- Skillet Cornbread
- Beans and Cornbread
- Trout
- Hot Dog With "Everything"
Famous People Born In West Virginia
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- George Preston Marshall (Team Owner, Team Founder. Inducted in 1963)
- Greasy Neale (Coach. Inducted in 1969)
- Gino Marchetti (Defensive End. Inducted in 1972)
- Sam Huff (Linebacker. Inducted in 1982)
- Frank Gatski (Center. Inducted in 1985)
- Randy Moss (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2018)
- Chuck Howley (Linebacker. Inducted in 2023)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Jesse Burkett (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1946)
- George Brett (Third Baseman. Inducted in 1999)
- Bill Mazeroski (Second Baseman. Inducted in 2001)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Jerry West (Guard. Inducted in 1980)
- Hal Greer (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1982)
- Hugh Evans (Referee. Inducted in 2022)
- Bob Huggins (Coach. Inducated in 2022)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- John Corbett
- Elizabeth McLaughlin
- Ashlie Rhey
Famous Singers
- Wilma Lee Cooper
- Red Sovine
- Bill Withers
West Virginia Fun Facts
- West Virginia was named for England's "Virgin Queen," Elizabeth I. It was part of Virginia until 1861. When Virginia seceded from the Union, the 40 western county delegates opposed the secession and formed their own government, which was granted statehood in 1863.
- The New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia, is the longest steel-arch bridge in the United States, spanning 1, 699 feet across the New River Canyon.
- The first state sales tax established in the United States went into effect on July 1, 1921, in West Virginia.
- Weirton is the only city in the U.S. that extends from one state border to another. The eastern portion of the city borders Pennsylvania, and the western portion of the city borders on Ohio.
- The first official Mother's Day celebration took in 1908 at a Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, and was organized by Anna Jarvis.
- In November 2014, 18-year-old Saira Blair was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, becoming the youngest elected lawmaker in the United States.
- In West Virginia, a person can be fined one dollar each act of cursing, swearing, or public drunkenness.
- Governor Cecil Underwood was the state's youngest governor at 34 when he was first elected in 1956. He was elected again in 1996 at 74, making him the oldest governor of the state.
- The first municipally owned parking building in the U.S. was opened September 1, 1941 in Welch, West Virginia.
- West Virginia got its first Starbucks in December, 2003, making it the last state in the United States to have a Starbucks store.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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