West Virginia Theme
State of West Virginia
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| Nickname | Mountain State |
|---|---|
| Motto | Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free) |
| Demonym | West Virginian |
| Capital | Charleston |
| Largest city | Charleston |
| Largest metro area | Charleston metro area |
| Area | Ranked: 41st in the US
Total: 24,230 sq miWidth: 130 miles Length: 240 miles Water: 0.6 |
| Population | Ranked: 37th in the US
Total: 1,852,994 (2010)Density: 75.1/sq mi Median: income $38,029 (48th) |
| Elevation | Highest Point: Spruce Knob 4,863 ft Mean: 1,500 ft Lowest Point: Harpers Ferry 240 ft |
| Before statehood | Virginia |
| Admission to Union | June 20, 1863 (35) |
State Symbols
| Bird | Northern Cardinal |
|---|---|
| Animal | Black Bear |
| Fish | Brook Trout |
| Insect | European Honey Bee |
| Flower | Rhododendron |
| Tree | Sugar Maple |
| Song | The West Virginia Hills; This Is My West Virginia; West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home |
| Butterfly | Monarch Butterfly |
| Reptile | Timber Rattler |
| Wildflower | Fringed Gentian |
| Colors | Old Gold and Blue |
| Gemstone | Silicified Mississippian Fossil Coral |
| Rock | Coal |
| Soil | Monongahela Silt Loam |
| Fruit | Golden Delicious Apple |
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast and east, respectively. The capital and largest city is Charleston.
West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions, breaking away from Virginia during the American Civil War. The new state was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, and was a key Civil War border state. West Virginia was the only state to form by seceding from a Confederate state, and was one of only two states formed during the American Civil War (the other one being Nevada, which separated from Utah Territory).
The Census Bureau considers West Virginia part of the South, as most of the state is south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The northern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio with the West Virginia cities of Wheeling and Weirton being just across the border from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, while Bluefield is less than 70 miles (110 km) from North Carolina and Harper’s Ferry is considered to be a part of the Washington metropolitan area. The unique position of West Virginia means that it is often included in a wide variety of geographical regions, including the Upland South, the Southeastern United States and sometimes the Northeastern United States. Notably, it is the only state which entirely lies within the area served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, which is a common definition of “Appalachia”. For these reasons, West Virginia is often considered simultaneously the northernmost Southeastern state, the southernmost Northeastern state, and the westernmost Mid-Atlantic state.
The state is noted for its mountains and diverse topography, its historically significant logging and coal mining industries, and its political and labor history. It is one of the most densely karstic areas in the world, making it a choice area for recreational caving and scientific research. The karst lands contribute to much of the state’s cool trout waters. It is also known for a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, including skiing, whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and hunting.
Silly Joke
Tom was a coal miner. One day, his son asked him, “Does a ton of coal weigh very much?”
“It depends,” Tom answered, “whether you’re shoveling it or burning it!”
Theme Elements
Finally! A state with official state colors! As a result, I used a lot of blue and “old gold” for this theme. Technically, old gold is a very specific shade of yellow (according to Wikipedia), but it looks more like a dirty yellow than ‘gold’ so I used a brighter version of it for this theme more in line with the color on the state seal. Although the state color also includes blue, I couldn’t find anything about a specific shade of blue so I used whatever shade I thought looked best.
You’ll also find bits of blacks and dark grays in the theme to represent the state’s coal mining industry, including a miner’s hat in the gap between the menubar items.
The photos for this theme were all submitted as 2015 calendar submissions. The title bar won a slot in September, but since it’s such a narrow area, I cropped the image to show only the part along the horizon. It features Dolly Sods Wilderness and was taken by LaBef2010.
The two photos at the bottom of the page will show up only if your browser is wide enough to fit them. The first photo you’ll see (if you see any at all) is also taken in the Dolly Sods Wilderness by LaBef2010. Ultimately, I didn’t use it in the calendar, but only because I already used that first photo from the Dolly Sods Wilderness. I didn’t want to use two photos from the same place!
The second of two photos (if you see both photos) of mist in the trees was taken by frankie and benjy in Fort Mill Ridge WMA and did win the Miss February calendar slot in 2015.
Members
Now, time for a quick shout out to everyone on Atlas Quest from this state!
Letterboxing Cities
And, here are all of the cities in West Virginia we’ve hit with letterboxes!