Charleston, West Virginia- beauty in the heart of West Virginia
Charleston is the largest city in the state with a population of 51,176 as of 2005. Cities and towns that are nearby include Dunbar, Nitro, South Charleston, and Winfield. Charleston gradually became a hub for the production of salt; however, this demand declined after 1861. Due to World War I there was a great demand for chemical products and later, Charleston became a center for chemical manufacturing and coal mining.
Charleston is the capital of West Virginia and the county seat of Kanawha County. The word Kanawha (pronounced "KA-NAW-A") originates from a West Indian Arawak word that means dug-out. This breathtaking mountainous city is situated in the valley at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers.
Charleston rivers
The most important and largest river in West Virginia is the New-Kanawha River. The river basin makes up approximately one-third of the state of West Virginia, a portion of southwestern Virginia, and a tiny portion of North Carolina. The upper portion of the river is called the Kanawha River, the lower portion (below the mouth of the Gauley River), is the New River. Charleston's Interstate 64 crosses the Kanawha River four times. The mouth of the Elk River joins the Kanawha in the downtown Charleston area.
Charleston in history
During the late 1700s Charleston was the home to Daniel Boone. This frontier land was named after a landholder named Colonel George Clendenin's father, Charles. Clendenin built a fort called Fort Lee in 1788. Fort Lee was the first permanent settlement in the land. Originally, the city was called Charles Town, but was later changed to Charleston.
In 1794, the Virginia General Assembly officially established Charleston. Thirty-five people lived in seven houses located on the 40 acres that made up the town. In 1877, Charleston became the state capital.
Past and present notable residents
Many notable residents have made Charleston their home. Some of these well-known people include classical composer George Crumb, actresses Jennifer Garner, Ann Manguson, Conchata Ferrell, Jean Carson, and Lesli Kay, writer/educator Booker T. Washington, NBA superstar Jerry West, NFL superstar Randy Moss, sportscaster John Kruk, singer Kathy Mattea, producer/TV host Tony Brown, and of course Daniel Boone.
Local sports
Charleston is the home of the Minor League Baseball team West Virginia Power, the International Basketball League team West Virginia Wild, and the American soccer team West Virginia Chaos.
Charleston's Yeager Airport (formerly Kanawha Airport) was a phenomenal engineering accomplishment for 1947. It was constructed on 360 acres that included three mountain tops and required over nine million cubic yards of dirt. The 130th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard is also located in Charleston.
Colleges and universities
Charleston offers many places for higher education including West Virginia University, University of Charleston, Marshall University Graduate College, and Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing.
West Virginia's state capitol building
The State Capitol is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Charleston. Cass Gilbert, the architect that designed the Lincoln Memorial, designed the 20th-Century Italian renaissance style capitol building. The final cost of the buff Indiana limestone structure was a little under $10 million. The building was completed in 1932; it has a beautiful 23-karat gold dome. There are many statues of historic figures located on the capitol's grounds such as Abraham Lincoln and Stonewall Jackson for visitors to tour.
Located in the same area as the capitol, is the West Virginia Cultural Center (www.wvculture.org ). There you will find amazing war, coal mining, and forestry displays. This is a great museum-like center for those who love history.
Charleston festivals
Yearly, Charleston holds a variety of festivals such as the Sternwheel Regatta, the Multifest, the West Virginia Dance Festival, the West Virginia International Film Festival, the Vandalia Festival, and the Festival Charleston. The Vandalia Festival is the Appalachian Mountains' largest arts and crafts show featuring bluegrass, contests, food, and much more fun.
Charleston museums
For the history and culture buff, Charleston offers many museums including the Avampato Discovery Museum www.avampatodiscoverymuseum.org/ , the State Museum, and the Sunrise Museum.
Experience Charleston culture
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences www.theclaycenter.org opened in 2003. The center includes The ElectricSky? Theater, which seats 175 and is a combination of dome-screen cinema and planetarium. The Avampato Discovery Museum, an art museum, the Maier Foundation Performance Hall, and The Walker Theatre are all located within the center.
Outdoors in Charleston
Nature lovers are attracted to Charleston because there are so many beautiful parks, forests, and much more. Some of the fun outdoor spots Charleston has to offer include the Appalachian Power Park, Cato Park, Coonskin Park, the Schoenbaum Soccer Field and Amphitheatre, the Daniel Boone Park, Kanawha State Forest, Little Creek Park, Magic Island, Davis Park, and Haddad Riverfront Park.
Charleston shopping
There are two malls located in Charleston - the Charleston Town Center Mall and the Kanawha Mall. The Charleston Town Center Mall opened its doors in 1983. As the largest mall east of the Mississippi, it boasts a tri-level venue for shops and eateries. The Kanawha Mall is a smaller-scale facility. Downtown offers several streets that are a mixture of shops, restaurants and businesses. Charleston also has three major shopping plazas including Dudley Farms Plaza, Southridge Center, and The Shopps.
Charleston offers mountain goers a refreshing getaway. Charleston doesn't have many attractions; however the shopping, scenery, and culture are phenomenal. You definitely do not want to miss the opportunity to visit this breathtaking city.