1. You Get Irrationally Annoyed When Someone Confuses West Virginia With Virginia
What gives? No one seems to blur the lines between North Dakota and South Dakota, or confuse South Carolina with North Carolina. It happens with West Virginia all the time. People proudly claim to have relatives that live in the Mountain State. “Oh really, where do they live?” Invariably the answer is, “Norfolk” or “Roanoke” or some other town in Virginia. Virginia, a totally different state, people! Get it together. Stop displaying your ignorance. West Virginia joined the Union in 1863 and is the nation’s 35th state.
2. To Embrace West Virginia College Football
The largest run college football programs in WV are of course, West Virginia University and Marshall University. Here’s a good tip to remember—if you live in the south, you root for Marshall’s Thundering Herd. If you live further north, you probably root for West Virginia University’s Mountaineers. If you live in Charleston, take your chances and root on whomever you feel like.
These rules apply as long as you are in West Virginia. Once you cross the state line it is imperative to root for all West Virginia teams regardless of your hometown favorite.
3. West Virginia Leans A Bit More Southern Than Northern
The people of West Virginia are very proud of their heritage. They’re happy they seceded from Virginia and their loyalty to the North during the Civil War. However, a West Virginian will never claim to be a northerner. It just isn’t right.
But though the people are more Southern in our ideology, they won’t be convinced they’re completely southern either. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that WV is considered the southern most northern state, and the northern most southern state. Whatever.
4. But It’s Also A Little Switzerland
Back in the day Swiss immigrants settled Helvetia, which reminded them of their homeland. There are only about 60 people in the town today, but once a year they go all out and invite the public to a huge Swiss festival.
5. “West Virginian” Means Mountaineer, Not Hillbilly
Just because the people occasionally go barefoot (like the rest of the world) West Virginians have been labeled as hillbillies. They don’t like it one bit. It isn’t emblazoned on the Seal of West Virginia. But you know what is? Mountaineer. Montani Semper Liberi means “mountaineers are always free.” It’s way better than hillbilly. Think more “Jeremiah Johnson,” less “Jed Clampett.”
6. To Respect Coal Miners
To say, “it’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it,” is an understatement when it comes to coal miners. The world doesn’t take notice of the dangerous and gutsy job coal miners do until there’s an accident, but those guys deal with it every day. But West Virginians love coal, and the men and women who mine it even more.
7. The State Capitol Building Is Prettier Than The U.S. Capitol Building
It’s not bragging if it’s true. Check it out.
8. John Denver Did West Virginia Proud
John Denver did West Virginia proud with his hit “Country Roads.” He wasn’t from West Virginia, but obviously recognized a good thing when he saw it, and his hit “Country Roads is the unofficial state song. Sure, the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River are both in Virginia (way to reinforce the confusion, John), but it’s still their song.
9. West Virginians Are Proud People
West Virginians appreciate humbleness and hate people who act big. But they’re pretty proud of themselves too. So you learn to be careful about how you refer to the people of West Virginia, their practices and their State, unless you want to be told that the Greyhound bus that brought you there can take you back to where you came from. So, tread lightly.
10. West Virginians Know More About Their Home State Than Anyone
Don’t believe me? Okay, can anyone else recite their state’s song, name the state bird, flower, animal, or say what year their state entered the union? A West Virginia grade schooler could beat everyone else out any day.
11. Cornbread And Beans, Its What’s For Dinner
Let’s just say no true West Virginian would ask “where’s the beef” when dinner is served.
12. White Gravy And Biscuits - It’s What's For Breakfast
If you go to a restaurant in West Virginia for breakfast and white gravy and biscuits are not on the menu, mark my words, it’s a franchise chain.
13. Wildflowers “Mountain Mama” Specialty
Wildflowers grow in West Virginia like weeds, only much prettier. Interstate medians are even planted with dancing flowers and the hills are always alive with scattered buds.
14. Don’t Judge The WVU Fan Base By The Fan
West Virginia University fans are the best, but a handful of miscreants can ruin its good reputation with unsportsmanlike conduct. Antics before and after the game have been known to get very ugly, and those few give WVU fans a bad rep and a black eye. Don’t assume they’re all like that.
15. The Map Of West Virginia Is Shaped Like A Squashed Frog
It’s gross, but you’ll admit it’s true.
16. It’s Charleston, Not Charles Town
Charles Town is in West Virginia, but it is not to be confused with Charleston, the capital city. You’ll learn not to make that mistake pretty quick.
17. Chuck Yeager Is A Rock Star
Native son Charles E. Yeager was the first man to break the sound barrier, back in 1947, and immediately became a hero for the history books. He’s even got his own airport in Charleston, the Yeager National Airport.
18. “Y'all” Is A Real Word Here
The contraction could refer to one or two individuals or a crowd of people, but what y'all need to understand is that West Virginians use it all the time. Regardless of a person’s educational background, age, or where in the state they’re from, if y’all are from the State of West Virginia, y’all will say, “y’all.”
19. A River (Or Seven) Runs Through It
It’s no wonder that West Virginia has no chance of getting too dry. The Kanawha runs through the city of Charleston, but there’s also the Elk, Gauley, Guyandotte, Big Coal, Big Sandy, Monongahela, Cheat, West Fork, Cacapon, Greenbrier and more. The Ohio and Potomac Rivers even flow through parts of the state. That’s a lot of water.
20. How To Hide A House
West Virginia woodland is so lush and luxurious that during summer months many houses are completely hidden by the thicket—even huge mansions. Driving along interstate highways, travelers would never guess there were homes just feet away. Then winter arrives, the trees go bare, and suddenly the homes reappear.
21. Autumn Is An Explosion Of Gold
Autumn in West Virginia is truly spectacular. The hills are carpeted with deep reds, bright yellows and orange. People come from miles around just to enjoy the changing leaves. West Virginians are used to it, but it never gets old.
22. West Virginia Birthed Mother’s Day
True story. There’s an actual Mother’s Day Shrine in Grafton. Mother’s Day was founded in this small town, by local Anne Jarvis. The shrine is located in the original church where the first Mother’s Day celebration took place, St. Matthews Methodist Church.
23. How To Drive In The Snow
There are few things more beautiful than a snow-covered mountain—that is, until you hit black ice going downhill. Visitors can’t help but wonder how residents get in and out of the hollows and down from mountaintops in bad winter weather. But they do.
24. Corkscrew Curves
Major highways in West Virginia are quite navigable. Those back roads over the mountains are another story; quite like driving around a screw. What were the engineers thinking? Whatever it was, West Virginians brave them every day.
25. The Greenbrier Is Not Green
The four-star, luxury resort and hotel bears a striking resemblance to the White House, only bigger and better.
26. To Celebrate The State’s Birthday
Each year West Virginia celebrates its birthday by going all out. Cake is served on the capitol lawn, and everyone is invited. That’s how they roll in WV.
27. People In Glass Houses Probably Live Here
Living in West Virginia will make it pretty clear that glassmaking is an Appalachian art form. The largest glass manufacturer is in Williamstown, but it’s only one of more than a whopping 500 glassmakers in the State of West Virginia.
What’s something you learned living in West Virginia? Tell us in the comments below!
