West Virginia – a trip to the US Mountainous State
West Virginia is a small state, mainly consisting of rural areas, and is characterized by the charm of its landscapes, also called Mountain State because of its morphological conformation. In West Virginia to date, no more than two million people live, which makes it the forty-second state in terms of population. Here tourism is well developed thanks to the magnificence of landscapes, rough and longest rivers with rapids, and also the largest areas of wildlife in the east of the USA. It is these characteristics that contributed to the fact that the state has become a very popular destination for tourists and sports fans.
After the end of the War of Independence, official borders were defined, in particular limited by the Appalachians mountain range, and numerous German and Scottish-Irish pioneers began to arrive, colonizing the western territories of Virginia and creating small independent possessions that did not use slave labor. As a result of the War of Independence, when Virginia proclaimed its independence, the western region remained loyal to the Union, thereby breaking away from the rest of the state. Thus, in 1863 Congress officially recognized the new territory.
Approximately around 1900, when the first railway line reached the internal lands, huge areas of the forest began to be released by logging companies for the construction of workers’ settlements. Subsequently, the workers’ settlements were demolished at the end of the work, and industrial companies began to improve the concept of the so-called “single-industry towns”, in which miners were forced to pay a monthly fee for accommodation and meals.
Take an unforgettable trip around the magnificent American landscapes, traveling to the state of West Virginia!
Among the mandatory places to visit is the Monongahela National Reserve, one of the largest nature reserves in America. On its territory is the highest point of West Virginia – Spruce Knob, which counts 1482 meters in height. The park is incredibly rich in forests, rivers, lakes with many kinds of animals, and provides excellent opportunities for hiking. Here is held the annual event New River Birding Festival, the most important event for all fans of bird watching. Another park of incredible beauty is disposed seven kilometers from the capital of Charleston and called the Kanawha State Forest. Here you can find great places for picnics, which are also very popular for camping and recreation with the whole family.
Not only outdoor activities are interesting for tourism in West Virginia, but also many cultural attractions, of which is rich the capital of the state Charleston. Here are preserved a number of beautiful and quite remarkable Victorian buildings. Interesting is also the famous cultural event Vandalia Festival, which is a fair of arts and crafts of the Appalachians.