West Virginia: The Mountaineer State

• Alternate Nicknames:
• Switzerland of the United States
• Wild and Wonderful
• Capital: Charleston
• Major Cities:
  • Huntington
  • Parkersburg
  • Wheeling
• Major Geographical Features
  • Ohio River
  • Kanawha River
  • Potomac River
  • Allegheny Plateau
  • Allegheny Mountains
• National Parks: none
• 1788: Becomes part of Virginia
• 1861: Seceded from Virginia because Virginia seceded from the Union
• 1863: West Virginia becomes the 35th State
• Motto: "Mountaineers are Always Free"
• Name Meaning: Named after the state of Virginia which was named after Queen Elizabeth I, the "Virgin Queen"
• Industries
  • Natural Gas
  • Coal
• 80% forests
• 2nd largest coal producing state
• Most recent state to be formed by seceding from an existing state
• Famous People
  • Mary Lou Retton
  • Nick Saban
  • Chuck Yeager
  • Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson