West Virginia is a state located in the Mid Atlantic Region of the United States. It was admitted into the union on June 20, 1863 and was one of only two states to be formed during the American Civil War. It is the forty-first biggest state in the USA and the thirty-seventh most populous. The state capital and the largest city in the state is Charleston. The state is bordered by the states Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The cardinal is the state bird and the rhododendron is the flower is the state. West Virginia’s major rivers are Ohio River, Guyandotte River and Greenbrier River and the major lakes are Tygart Lake and Bluestone Lake. The nickname of West Virginia, 'Mountain State' was adopted because of the States Mountains and diverse topographies and its mining industries. The state’s history has been affected by its mountainous terrain, numerous and vast river valleys, and rich natural resources which are all driving factors in the economy and the lifestyle of its residents.
West Virginia's official flag was adopted in 1929. The flag is designed with a white field surrounded by blue. The state seal is encircled by a garland of the rhododendron in the center of the flag. The seal pictures a farmer and a miner around a rock bearing the date June 20, 1863, which was the day that West Virginia split from Virginia and became a state. Two rifles and a red liberty cap are pictured below the men and a red ribbon below the men declares the motto of the state 'Montana Semper Liberi' meaning 'Mountaineers are always Free'. A large red ribbon above the seal states 'State of West Virginia'.
Prior to European settlement in West Virginia the Native American's that occupied the land enjoyed hunting. Although little is known about these people, artefacts uncovered by historians provide evidence that these natives lived quite a complex culture. The land of West Virginia was greatly disputed. Many states attempted to claim the land, however none of them were successful. The state had originally been part of the British Virginia Colony and the western area of Virginia.
West Virginia was the only state to secede from a Confederate State, Virginia during the American Civil War. Prior to this happening, it was recommended that each county in northwest Virginia send a delegate to a convention to meet at wheeling. This convention occurred two times and at both, at the first some delegates favoured the immediate formation of a new state, whilst others did not. However, at the second meeting, it was claimed that the statistics voting for and against the formation of the state of West Virginia, were to be considered void since the meetings had been held without the consent of the citizens of the state. On June 19, 1861, an act for the reorganisation of the government was passed. On August 20, the Wheeling Convention met again to vote on the formation of a new state. On October 24, 18 408 votes were cast and only 781 were against the formation of the state. On May 13 1862, the government approved the formation of the new state, and on December 1, 1862 President Abraham Lincoln admitted West Virginia into the Union, on condition that the state would abolish slavery in the state. The demand was met, and on April 20, 1863 President Lincoln issued a proclamation to admit West Virginia into the union sixty days later on June 20.
After becoming a state of its own, West Virginia began to discover many hidden resources in its land. It was discovered that the border between Virginia and West Virginia includes the 'Saltpetre Trail’, which contains a chain of limestone caverns. These contain rich deposits of calcium nitrate, which were extracted and then sold to the government. Since nearly half of these caves were on the side of West Virginia, the state was able to claim them and sell the deposits. The limestone was also good in the quarry industry. Small, softer and high-calcium seams were burned to produce industrial lime, which was then used for construction and agricultural purposes. Coal, especially was another hidden treasure found in West Virginia. In the southern part of the state, in 1889, the important coal center of Bluefield was established and in the north, the older Baltimore and Ohio Railroad also expanded to take advantage of coal opportunities. West Virginia's coal was under high demand and in 1909, William Nelson Page and Henry Huttleston Rogers built the Virginian Railway. With this new railway, coal was exported at an ever-increasing volume from Hampton roads to Great Lake ports and other places.
In 1928, the state also discovered the Jones Diamond a 34.48-carat found in Peterstown, West Virginia by the Jones family. It is the largest alluvial diamond to ever be discovered in North America.
West Virginia experiences a humid subtropical climate in some of the lower elevations such as Charleston, experiencing hot, humid summers and milder winters. The rest of the state enjoys humid continental climate with warm to hot, humid summers and cool to cold winters. West Virginia is also known to be one of the cloudiest states of the nation.
The major industries in which the West Virginians are involved are livestock, chemical manufacturing, and the mining of coal mining of coal, glass products and tourism.
The population of West Virginia is constantly growing. In 2005 the state had an estimated population of 1, 816, 856 people. The center of population is located in Gassaway a town in the Braxton County. The state is also known to have the lowest percentage of people that speak a language other than English at home. A religious survey in the year 2001 showed that the states residents are 75% Christian, 60% Protestant and 30% Baptist. 13% of the people were not religious and another 6% declined to answer.
Culture in Western Virginia is quite influenced by music, with people being involved in Appalachian music and Classical music. The Appalachian music is derived form various European and African influences, including Irish and Scottish traditional music, religious hymns, English ballads and African-American blues. The traditional Appalachian musicians participate in contests and play in evening concerts. Classical music became popular when the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, known as Charleston Civic Orchestra was established in 1939.
The 'Mountain State' is very well known for its scenic beauty. It offers numerous activities for outdoor recreation, including skiing, hunting, white-water rafting, hiking and mountain biking. The West Virginia State Parks or Forests are also a very nice scenic outdoor activity for the day and a major attraction. Some exciting tours are the Haunted Parkersburg Ghost Tours, Time Travellers Haunted History of Wheeling and Ghost Tours of Lewisburg and Mothman.
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