West Virginia

Tommy

Seeing A Ghost
I'm sure all of you have heard my endless rants about the state and how I hate it here. This actually isn't true, at least not in all aspects. Anyone who lives in this state knows that if they want to ever become something important they will have to move. However, this could not be a better place to spend the time until it's time to head off to the "real" world where people aren't so friendly and would stab you in the back if it meant some kind of gain for them. A friend sent me this email a few minutes ago, it made me feel a little bit better about being stuck here. I thought I'd share it (please forgive all of the >'s but I didn't feel like editing the email):





Montani Semper Liberi ... Mountaineers Are Always Free.

These words adorn the state flag and state seal of the Great State
of West Virginia.

Yes, that state that continually comes in last in every statistic
kept by the federal government. We're last (or next to last) in just about every failing of humankind ... obesity, tobacco use, high school graduation rate, and teen pregnancy. You name it; we're number one or number fifty, depending upon your perspective.
> >
> >
> > West Virginia is one of the poorest states in America. Our median
> > income wouldn't buy a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke in New York
City.
> >
> >
> > Our elected politicians are, by and large, good ole boys. We're
the
> > butts of many a joke around the country. The largest employer in
the
> > state IS the state. The largest single city in West Virginia
barely has
> > 50,000 people. We're mostly known for coal mining, yet the lion's
share
> > of dollars from mining leaves the state, and ends up in the hands
of the
> > land barons living elsewhere.
> >
> >
> > No United States Presidents were born in West Virginia. I don't
even
> > believe any Vice Presidents were born here; but we are the home of
> > Senator Robert C. Byrd.
> >
> >
> > West Virginia doesn't have any Major professional sports team.
We're
> > not big enough. We don't have any major TV markets that would be
> > attractive to any owners. We don't have any national monuments ...
no
> > Grand Canyon, or Mount Rushmore, or even a Disney World; no NASCAR
> > tracks (yet), no Great Lakes, no international airports, no
Opryland, no
> > sky needles, no eight lane highways, no beaches, no Ivy League
colleges.
> > We don't have any skyscrapers, or world famous vacation spots, or
motion
> > picture studios, or amber waves of grain; no subways, no Emmy
Awards, no
> > Mardi Gras, and no Rose Bowl Parade. With all of the things West
> > Virginia doesn't have, why would anyone bother living here, you
ask?
> >
> >
> > Well ....West Virginia has some things that a person doesn't
realize
> > they wanted until they were here.West Virginia has mountains. The
> > Appalachian Mountains extend from New York to Georgia, but in no
state
> > are they more majestic, or part of the renown, than in West
Virginia.
> > The highest point in West Virginia is Spruce Knob, one mile above
sea
> > level. Yes, there are higher points in America, but none more
> > beautiful.
> >
> > Because of our mountains, we have rivers. The oldest river in the
> > Western Hemisphere, the New River (quite appropriately named, don't
you
> > think) ends in West Virginia. We have the Gauley river, which
> > confluences with the New River in a magnificent cascade to form the
> > Kanawha River, which in turn flows through the center of the state,
and
> > directly through the capital city of Charleston, the largest city
in
> > West Virginia. These rivers in addition to the Cheat, Blackwater,
> > Tygart, Monongahela, and countless others offer tremendous
recreational
> > opportunities.
> >
> >
> > The tallest building in Charleston is barely 25 floors tall, which,
if
> > you think about it, is a plus; how could you possibly build a
skyscraper
> > more beautiful than a mountain? The capital city stretches
throughout
> > the long river valley, encompassing both hill and dale. The
Charleston
> > airport, the largest in the state, sits on top of a mountain.
> >
> > The crime rate in Charleston, including the entire population of
the
> > Kanawha Valley (around 200,000), reflects that of the entire state
...
> > the lowest in America. No more than a handful of murders are
committed
> > each year. Charleston has no subway systems, but, truth be known,
you
> > can get from one end of town to the other, even in rush hour
traffic, in
> > less than ten minutes. There are three
> > major interstate systems going through Charleston, the smallest
city in
> > America to make such a claim. The entire state has six different
> > interstate systems, meaning, from Charleston, you can reach
Cleveland,
> > Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Louisville or Charlotte in four
hours
> > or less.
> >
> >
> > Ah, but, once you leave the interstates, the drive becomes a thing
of
> > wonder. Two lane roads, winding up and down the mountains, offer
> > amazing views and historic places ... small towns, poor in wealth
but
> > rich in history. West Virginia is the birthplace of Mother's Day,
in
> > Grafton; and Father's Day, in Fairmont. We have the oldest covered
> > bridge still in use. We have walnut festivals and strawberry
festivals
> > and apple festivals and pumpkin festivals and buckwheat festivals,
and
> > arts and crafts fairs and stern wheel regattas and ramp dinners.
We
> > have Bridge Day, on the New River Gorge bridge over 800 feet above
the
> > New River; the only standing structure in the United States that,
one
> > day a year, allows parachuting and bungee jumping. We have college
> > basketball, and minor league baseball and hockey, and, just like
all of
> > America, Friday night high school football.
> >
> > We have white water rafting, and skiing, and hiking, and caves, and
> > waterfalls, and camping in every direction. We have Sundays where
a
> > leisurely drive in the car can take eight hours, and only cover 100
> > miles.
> >
> > We have bed and breakfasts, and resorts, and golf courses, and
museums,
> > and the Greenbrier Hotel. West Virginia has more natural beauty and
> > wonder than any person could ever imagine. We have all of this, and
yet
> > ..... our greatest asset is our people.
> >
> >
> > West Virginians are good people. We care about each other. We
talk to
> > our neighbors over the backyard fence. We grow tomatoes for the
entire
> > neighborhood. We turn around in each other's driveways, and yell
> > "howdy" when we do. We sit on the porch on warm summer evenings,
> > listening to crickets, and watching kids catch fireflies. We loan
a
> > hammer, or a cup of sugar.
> >
> >
> > We don't take two-hour lunches, but we do spend a few minutes each
day
> > with a cup of coffee, and our feet up on our desk, shooting the
breeze.
> > We rarely get in a hurry. We have relatives just down the street.
We
> > don't just loan someone a socket wrench, we help them fix their
car. We
> > share recipes, and gardening tips, and our last cup of coffee. We
baby
> > sit each other's kids, we house sit for each other's dogs while
we're on
> > vacation, and we loan each other our cars if we have to get to the
drug
> > store. We ask each other if we need anything as we're going to the
> > market. We celebrate each other's accomplishments, and we cry over
each
> > other's disappointments.
> >
> >
> > We are a friendly folk. We are West Virginians. Mountaineers are
> > always free. Free to take the time to enjoy life, and hold each
moment
> > in our hearts, forever.
 
I have lots and lots of family in WV and I've been there multiple times...I love it there!!!

I liked that email, it was very true, and really does make you appreciate the ol' place. :smiley:
 
Wow...never thought about that. But how beautiful WV is...is definitely true. Absolutely gorgeous...if you've ever seen Last of the Mohicans the beginning part is exactly what it looks like. The New River and Gauley are amazing...we've been white water rafting on them...so much fun! And the New River Bridge....now that's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
 
Now I know lots about WV. This would be my mind of town if there were some sort of area with major department stores. Honestly I would break down and cry if there was no shopping. But my mother is always commenting about how small towns are nice.
 
Well if I was to write about Kentucky I would say:

Kentucky, The place where everyone shares their clothesline
With indoor plumbin, and electricity, we take pride in our spitting tabbaccer(hehe), and the way everyone knows how to make taters and cornbread(even if it is as hard as a rock) we have good Kentucky Born dentists. Yes they have their two front teeth. We take baths in the swimming hole, and walk around in our barefeets. On Special Occasions we have baked pocats and stew. :D

Hehe just a little something I thought of.
 
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