Welcome
to West Virginia, land of rugged mountains. The "Mountain State," with the highest mean altitude
east of the Mississippi River, is also the state with the largest single natural scenic and outdoor recreational
area in the eastern United States; the Allegheny Highlands. Eighty percent of the state is forested with over 110,000 square miles of hardwood forest,
wind-swept mountains and photo-perfect valley landscapes. All of this can be found within a day's drive of 20 major eastern cities.
Venture
into West Virginia, experience the beauty of its unmatched mountain scenery, and learn why the state motto rings
so true:
Montani
Semper Liberi - Mountaineers Always Free!
| THE NAME:
Until 1861 West Virginia was part of Virginia. Virginia was named to honor Queen Elizabeth of England often
referred to as the "Virgin Queen."
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S.
State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994 |
| THE NICKNAMES:
The Mountain State: This nickname refers to the rugged terrain of the scenic Allegheny Mountains that
cross the state.
Switzerland of America: This is another nickname given because of the mountainous terrain of West Virginia.
Early settlers tended to compare mountainous areas of the new land to the mountains of Switzerland and, so,
many states, including Colorado, Maine,
New Hampshire, and New Jersey have, at one time or another,
been labeled the "Switzerland of America."
The Panhandle State: This nickname indirectly references the physical features of the state. The borders
of West Virginia tend to follow the contours of the land, winding between mountains, along mountain ridges, and
along river beds. Two long, slender extensions of the state give West Virginia the nickname, "The Panhandle State."
The land that extends eastward between Maryland and Virginia is referred to as the Eastern Panhandle. The strip
of land that extends north between Ohio and Pennsylvania is referred to as the Northern Panhandle.
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994
Shankle, George Earlie, Phd State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and
Other Symbols H. H. Wilson Company, New York - 1938 (Reprint) |
THE CITIZENS:
People who live in West Virginia or who come from West Virginia are called West Virginians. |
THE QUARTER:
 |
| U.S. Mint Image
|
The fifth and final quarter to be released in 2005 commemorates the State of West Virginia. On June 20, 1863, the "Mountain State" became the 35th state to be admitted into the Union, making this the 35th coin to be issued in the United States Mint’s popular 50 State Quarters® Program. This coin captures the scenic beauty of the State with its depiction of the New River and the New River Gorge Bridge. The coin bears the inscription "New River Gorge."
Prior to gaining statehood, the area that is now West Virginia formed the western part of Virginia. Settlers in the western part of the "Old Dominion" began their efforts to join the federal Union when Virginia announced its secession in 1861. In the western part of the State, the Restored Government of Virginia in Wheeling drafted a state constitution in 1862. The new state called West Virginia applied to Congress for admission into the Union. Congress approved the request with one condition, that the new state abolish slavery. President Lincoln signed the West Virginia statehood bill and on June 20, 1863, West Virginia officially became the 35th state to be admitted into the Union.
The design chosen to represent West Virginia is one that combines the natural physical beauty of the State and the triumph of the human intellect exemplified by the engineering wonder that is the New River Gorge Bridge. At 3,030 feet long and 69 feet wide, the bridge is the world’s largest steel span and the second highest bridge in the United States, rising 876 feet above the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. In 1978, 53 miles of the New River was added to the National Park System as the New River Gorge National River.
For years, crossing the New River Gorge meant long detours along narrow, winding mountain roads. The completion of the bridge in 1977 reduced this dangerous 40-minute trip to a smooth and scenic one-minute drive
On March 31, 2004, West Virginia Governor Bob Wise announced his selection of the New River Gorge as the design he would submit to Treasury for final approval. The Department of Treasury approved the design on May 4, 2004. More than 1,800 design concepts were submitted from around the State, and students from the Governor’s School for the Arts narrowed the field to five finalists. Other designs considered included "Appalachian Warmth," "Bridge Day / New River Gorge," "River Rafters," and "Mother’s Day / Anna Jarvis."
For more on the state commemorative quarters, visit this page.
This 50 State Quarter Map is a great way to collect and display all 50 State Quarters. |
|
