Kanawha was originally proposed as the state’s name. The name honored a Native American tribe and a major state river of the same name. When the constitution for the proposed state was finalized in 1862, however, the name had changed to the more generic West Virginia.
What is West Virginia’s nickname and why?
West Virginia is called the Mountain State because it’s the only state completely within the Appalachian Mountain region, and its average elevation is higher than any other state east of the Mississippi River!
What is West Virginia referred to as?
Other nominated names for the state included Vandalia, Kanawha, Appalachia, and Western Virginia. The capital was originally Wheeling, before switching to Charleston, moving back to Wheeling, and finally back to Charleston.
What was West Virginia before it became a state?
On December 5, 1865 the Virginia Assembly repealed the legislation that transferred the counties from Virginia to West Virginia. In an attempt to resolve the debate, Congress passed H.J. Res. 17 on March 10, 1866 to officially recognize the transfer of the counties to West Virginia.
How was West Virginia named?
Kanawha was the first name lawmakers considered. But western Virginia already had a county named after the Kanawha River. The river, in turn, got its name from an Indian tribe that lived in the area.
What is West Virginia’s slogan?
Montani Semper Liberi (Latin for “Mountaineers are Always Free”) is the official motto of the state of West Virginia. It was adopted as the official motto of the state in Article II, Section 2-7, of the state constitution signed in 1872.
What’s so special about West Virginia?
West Virginia is the only state in the Union to have acquired its statehood by proclamation of the President of the United States. West Virginia is the only state completely within the Appalachian Mountain range, aptly given the nickname the Mountain State. West Virginia is the third most forested state.
Was WV a Confederate state?
The U.S. state of West Virginia was formed out of western Virginia and added to the Union as a direct result of the American Civil War (see History of West Virginia), in which it became the only modern state to have declared its independence from the Confederacy.
Why did WV break away from VA?
In 1861, as the United States itself became massively divided over slavery, leading to the American Civil War (1861–1865), the western regions of Virginia split with the eastern portion politically, and the two were never reconciled as a single state again.
Were there slaves in West Virginia?
Population. Western Virginia’s slave population peaked in 1850 with 20,428 slaves, or nearly 7% of the population. In 1860 the number of slaves was 18,371. Much of the decreased number of slaves in West Virginia was due to the high demand for slaves in the lower South.
When did WV split from VA?
1863
Political conflicts among Tidewater, the Piedmont, Northern Virginia, and however many regions you wish to identify are a long part of the state’s history. These differences led to a formal split and the creation of a new state, West Virginia, in 1863.
What was the first state?
Delaware
“The First State”
Delaware is known by this nickname due to the fact that on December 7, 1787, it became the first of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
Why is West Virginia called West Virginia?
The western portion of Virginia seceded from the Confederate state and named itself West Virginia, the Mountain State, forsaking the rebellion of the Confederacy for membership in the Union.
Is West Virginia considered Virginia?
West Virginia, constituent state of the United States of America. Admitted to the union as the 35th state in 1863, it is a relatively small state. It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland and Virginia to the east, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest.
What does the word Kanawha mean?
Definitions of Kanawha. a tributary of the Ohio River in West Virginia. synonyms: Kanawha River. example of: river. a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
What was the last state to join the Confederacy?
North Carolina
Four days later, on May 20th, 1861, North Carolina became the last state to join the new Confederacy. State delegates met in Raleigh and voted unanimously for secession. All of the states of the Deep South had now left the Union.
What is a holler in West Virginia?
“Holler” to a West Virginian means a remote road or area. Even if you don’t “live up a holler,” you definitely know what one is. You folks probably just know it as a “hollow.” The Mountain State’s combination of mountains and streams make for quite a few remote areas and lots of hollers!
What are 3 interesting facts about West Virginia?
West Virginia is the only state to be admitted under presidential proclamation. Mother’s Day was first observed as a holiday at Andrews Church in Grafton on May 10, 1908. It became a national holiday in 1914. The New River Gorge Bridge is the longest steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere.
What is WV’s state fruit?
The Golden Delicious apple
The Golden Delicious apple first appeared on a tree in Clay County around 1900. In 1995, the West Virginia Legislature adopted the Golden Delicious apple as the State Fruit.
What is West Virginia famous food?
Pepperoni Rolls
Pepperoni Rolls
This fall festival celebrates not only the area’s rich Italian heritage, but West Virginia’s official state food, the pepperoni roll. The pepperoni roll was developed by an Italian baker circa 1930 as an easy meal for coal miners to carry in their lunch pails, and it remains a popular snack today.
Why do people like West Virginia?
On a very good note, West Virginia is known widely for its low cost of living and beautiful scenery—considered by many to be somewhat of a hidden gem, or even a paradise. If you’re an outdoorsy type, this just might be your dream state.
