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West Virginia: the story on HearLore | HearLore
West Virginia
On the 20th of June 1863, a new state emerged from the chaos of the American Civil War, defying the very laws of the Union to become the only state to separate from a Confederate state during the conflict. West Virginia was not merely a geographical entity but a political miracle forged in the fires of rebellion, created by western Virginians who refused to follow their eastern neighbors into secession. The state's formation was a legal and military gamble that required the approval of President Abraham Lincoln, who issued a proclamation admitting the state after a series of complex constitutional conventions in Wheeling. The process began in earnest when the Virginia Secession Convention voted to leave the Union on the 17th of April 1861, but only 17 of the 49 delegates from the northwestern counties voted in favor of the Ordinance of Secession. While 30 delegates voted against it, the western counties felt abandoned by a government dominated by the planter elite of the Tidewater and Piedmont regions. These western residents, who were largely subsistence farmers and less supportive of slavery, established a rival government under Francis Pierpont, known as the Restored Government of Virginia. This new government declared the acts of the secession convention void and set the stage for a new state that would eventually be admitted to the Union, despite the fierce opposition of the Confederate government and the legal challenges that would follow for decades.
Native Lands And Colonial Wars
Long before the first European settlers arrived, the land that became West Virginia was a vibrant theater of Native American history, where tribes like the Moneton, Tutelo, and Shawnee navigated a complex web of alliances and conflicts. The area was a common hunting ground for many tribes, including the Iroquois, who drove out other groups during the Beaver Wars to reserve the upper Ohio Valley. By the 1670s, the Siouan language tribes had been among the earliest recorded in the region, and the Monongahela Culture thrived in the north. The arrival of European traders and settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries brought a wave of displacement and warfare that reshaped the demographic landscape. The Shawnee, the last Native tribe to inhabit the area, were driven out by the United States during the Shawnee Wars between 1811 and 1813. The region was also home to the Susquehannock, who were cut off from the Ohio River by the Iroquois around 1630 and eventually moved east to the Susquehanna River. The Manahoac were forced out in the 1680s when the Iroquois began to invade Virginia, and the Westo, who had invaded as far as South Carolina, were destroyed in the 1680s. The history of the region is marked by the constant movement and merging of tribes, such as the Shattaras, who took in and merged with the Monetons, and the Calicua, who began to call themselves Cherokees. The legacy of these tribes is preserved in the many ancient manmade earthen mounds that survive in areas like Moundsville, South Charleston, and Romney, which provide evidence of village societies with a tribal trade system culture that crafted cold-worked copper pieces.
West Virginia was admitted to the Union on the 20th of June 1863. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation admitting the state after a series of complex constitutional conventions in Wheeling following the Virginia Secession Convention vote on the 17th of April 1861.
Which Native American tribes inhabited the land that became West Virginia before European settlement?
Tribes like the Moneton, Tutelo, Shawnee, Iroquois, and Siouan language tribes navigated the region before European arrival. The Shawnee were the last Native tribe to inhabit the area and were driven out during the Shawnee Wars between 1811 and 1813.
What industry transformed West Virginia into an industrial powerhouse in the late 19th century?
The discovery of bituminous coal transformed West Virginia from isolated farming communities into an industrial powerhouse. The state produced more coal than any other state except Wyoming and developed extensive rail networks like the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway completed in 1872.
What is the highest point in West Virginia and how high is it?
The highest point in West Virginia is atop Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet. This peak is covered in a boreal forest of dense spruce trees at altitudes above 4,000 feet.
What was the population of West Virginia according to the 2020 United States census?
The 2020 United States census recorded a population of 1,793,716 for West Virginia. This figure represents a 3.2% decrease from the 2010 United States census.
The discovery of bituminous coal in the late 19th century transformed West Virginia from a collection of isolated farming communities into an industrial powerhouse that fueled the American Industrial Revolution. The completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1872 opened access to the New River Coal Field, and the Norfolk and Western Railroad, led by Frederick J. Kimball, redirected its expansion to reach the rich bituminous coal seam that Kimball's wife named Pocahontas. The coal industry became the backbone of the state's economy, with the state producing more coal than any other state except Wyoming. The development of the coal fields required the construction of extensive rail networks, including the Virginian Railway, which was completed in 1909 and became part of the modern Norfolk Southern system. The coal industry also brought labor strife and safety issues that continue to challenge the state today. The Deepwater Railway, a short-line railroad chartered by William Nelson Page, was a testament to the competitive nature of the coal industry, as Page and his silent partner Henry Huttleston Rogers built the tracks across Virginia to bypass the collusion of the C&O and N&W railroads. The coal industry also led to the development of new cities like Bluefield, which became the capital of the Pocahontas coalfield, and the establishment of coal piers at Hampton Roads. The state's economy was deeply tied to the coal industry, with the state producing a surplus of electricity and leading the nation in net interstate electricity exports. The coal industry also brought about the development of the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Bed, which stretches from Tennessee north to New York in the middle of Appalachia.
The Politics Of Division
The political history of West Virginia is defined by the deep divisions between the eastern and western parts of the state, which were exacerbated by the issue of slavery and the desire for internal improvements. The western counties, which were largely subsistence farmers and less supportive of slavery, felt disenfranchised by the eastern planter elite, who controlled the state legislature and refused to spend funds on needed internal improvements. The Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850-51 addressed some of these issues, but the eastern planter elite maintained their political dominance, leading to the formation of a separate state. The political division was further complicated by the issue of slavery, with the western counties voting to abolish slavery gradually and the eastern counties voting to secede from the Union. The state's political history is also marked by the Readjuster Party, which was formed by former Confederate general William Mahone to dispute the new state's share of the prewar Virginia government's debts. The state's political history is also marked by the shift from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, with the state becoming heavily Republican and considered a deep red state at the federal level. The state's political history is also marked by the issue of labor rights, with the state having a tradition of union-based politics that led to the state voting heavily for the Democratic Party from the Great Depression to the 1990s.
The Geography Of The Mountains
West Virginia is a landlocked state that is almost entirely mountainous, with the highest average elevation of any U.S. state east of the Mississippi River. The state is located entirely within the Appalachian Region, and the rugged terrain has shaped the state's history, economy, and culture. The state's highest point is atop Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet, and is covered in a boreal forest of dense spruce trees at altitudes above 4,000 feet. The state's geography is also marked by the New River Gorge, a canyon deep, carved by the New River, which is managed by the National Park Service as the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The state's geography is also marked by the presence of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Bluestone National Scenic River, and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The state's geography is also marked by the presence of the Monongahela National Forest, which is home to six wilderness areas and is a popular destination for hikers, backpackers, hunters, and anglers. The state's geography is also marked by the presence of the Allegheny Plateau, which covers about 75% of the state and is extremely rugged in most areas. The state's geography is also marked by the presence of the Cumberland Plateau, which is home to the highest peaks in the state and is covered in a boreal forest of dense spruce trees.
The People And The Economy
The population of West Virginia has declined in recent years, with the 2020 United States census recording a population of 1,793,716, a 3.2% decrease from the 2010 United States census. The state's population is predominantly white, with 89.8% of the population identifying as white alone, and the state has the lowest percentage of residents who speak a language other than English at home. The state's population is also marked by the presence of significant numbers of African Americans, who are concentrated in Metro Valley in the vicinity of Charleston and Huntington, and the presence of a significant Serbian population, who came to West Virginia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to work in the coal mines. The state's economy is also marked by the presence of the coal industry, which accounted for 2% of state employment in 2017, and the presence of the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Bed, which stretches from Tennessee north to New York in the middle of Appalachia. The state's economy is also marked by the presence of the tourism industry, which contributed $4.27 billion to the state's economy and employed 44,400 people in 2010. The state's economy is also marked by the presence of the state's low per capita income and the state's low ranking in terms of health outcomes, life expectancy, education, and economic factors.