West Virginia

Early Native Americans lived in the area that is now West Virginia 10,000 years ago, but most of the remains found date back to around 500 BC to 800 AD. The Grave Creek Mound at Moundsville is the largest in the United States. From around 1640 to the mid 1700's the area was largely unpopulated until early European settler's began to claim the land.

West Virginia was part of Virginia until 1863. The Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains were a barrier to expansion for many years even though Virginia's boundaries had been left open to the west. Ongoing exploration of the mountainous area did not began until around 1670, and then it was by fur traders and those looking for a route to the Pacific Ocean.

West Virginia offers visitors and residents a wide variety of activities and adventures from the sites of ancient Indian burial grounds, to colonial and Civil War sites to modern cities with symphonies, golf, and beautiful ski resorts scattered among the Allegheny Mountains.

This beautiful state is home to the Allegheny Mountains with peaks rising to 4000 feet. Indians and early explorers wandered the mountains, crossed the many miles of streams and rivers and scaled the walls of the ancient New River Gorge. Today, visitors can follow many of these same routes in search of abandoned mining towns, Indian burial grounds and colonial villages. There are biking and walking trails, whitewater rafting, fishing, hunting, and camping to suit every level of expertise. The states mountains also offer visitors the opportunity to try out rock climbing, a look at the coal mining history, cave exploration, look into deep gorges and view a variety of wildlife. Downhill skiing in the winter offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy backwoods trails through a winter wonderland and relax in the evening at a cozy resort.

The eastern region of the state is an area of Colonial and Civil War history tucked in among picturesque towns and rolling hills. Follow the George Washington Heritage Trail Byway, the Potomac River, the town of Harper's Ferry and dozens of other historical areas that offer not only the look into the past, but offer shopping, resorts, spas, golf, theater and great food all in a compact area.

Old and new, down home and up town, high tech and back country, West Virginia runs the gamut for diversity. European immigrants that settled in the mountains in the 1800's laid railroads, mined coal, cut timber and built factories that produced china and glassware among other things. Today several state-of-the-art colleges and technical centers mingle with the artistic and sports enthusiasts that make the state home.

The major metropolitan area of Charleston offers all the amenities including museums, theaters, lodging, shopping, universities, music, sports, and of course great food of every kind. All this is just a short drive from the rural mountains and serene countryside. There are historical sites and roads to travel that will take you on the same pathways that have been traveled for more than 200 years. While in the area you'll want to visit the chain of towns that connects Charleston and Huntington. These smaller towns offer many fine opportunities for dining, hotels, activities and great memories of West Virginia.

West Virginia Real Estate Links West Virginia Association of Realtors