Charleston, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state
of West Virginia
. It is located at the confluence
of the Elk
and Kanawha
Rivers in Kanawha County
. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat
of Kanawha County.
Early industry important to Charleston included salt
and the first natural gas
well. Later, coal
became central to economic prosperity in the city and the surrounding area. Today, trade
, utilities, government
, medicine
and education
play the central role in the city's economy.
The first permanent settlement, Ft. Lee, was built in 1788. In 1791, Daniel Boone
was a member of the Kanawha County Assembly.
Charleston is the home of the West Virginia Power
(formerly the Charleston Alley Cats) minor league baseball
team, the West Virginia Wild
minor league basketball team, and the annual 15 miles (24 km) Charleston Distance Run
. Yeager Airport
and the University of Charleston
are also located in the city.
Charleston is also home to the 130th Airlift Wing
of the West Virginia Air National Guard
.
The city also contains public parks, such as Cato Park and Coonskin Park, and the Kanawha State Forest
, a large public state park that sustains a pool, camping sites, several biking/walking trails, picnic areas, as well as several shelters provided for recreational use.
, pioneers began making their way out from the early settlements. Many slowly migrated into the western part of Virginia
. Capitalizing on its many resources made Charleston an important part of Virginia and West Virginia history. Today, Charleston is the largest city in the state and the state capital.
Charleston's history goes back to the 18th century. Thomas Bullitt
was deeded 1250 acres (5 km²) of land near the mouth of the Elk River
in 1773. It was inherited by his brother, Cuthbert Bullitt
, upon his death in 1782, and sold to Col. George Clendenin in 1786. The first permanent settlement, Fort Lee, was built in 1787 by Col. Clendenin and his company of Virginia Rangers. This structure occupied the area that is now the intersection of Brooks Street and Kanawha Boulevard. Historical conjecture indicates that Charleston is named after Col. Clendenin's father, Charles. Charles Town was later shortened to Charleston to avoid confusion with another Charles Town
in eastern West Virginia, which was named after George Washington's brother Charles.
Six years later, the Virginia General Assembly
officially established Charleston. On the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) that made up the town in 1794, 35 people inhabited seven houses.
Charleston is part of Kanawha County. The origin of the word Kanawha , "Ka(h)nawha", derives from the region's Iroquois dialects meaning "water way" or "Canoe Way" implying the metaphor, "transport way", in the local language. It was and is the name of the river that flows past Charleston. The grammar of the "hard H" sound soon dropped out as new arrivals of various European languages developed West Virginia. The phrase has been a matter of Register (sociolinguistics)
. In fact, a two-story jail was the first county structure ever built, with the first floor literally dug into the bank of the Kanawha River
.
Daniel Boone
, who was commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the Kanawha County militia, was elected to serve in 1791 in the Virginia House of Delegates
. As told in historical accounts, Boone walked all the way to Richmond
.
was drilled in 1806. This created a prosperous time and great economic growth for the area. By 1808, 1,250 pounds of salt were being produced a day. An area adjacent to Charleston, Kanawha Salines, now Malden, would become the top salt producer in the world. In 1818, Kanawha Salt Company, first trust in United States, went into operation.
Captain James Wilson, while drilling for salt, struck the first natural gas well in 1815. It was drilled at the site that is now the junction of Brooks Street and Kanawha Boulevard (near the present-day state capitol complex.) In 1817, coal
was first discovered and gradually became used as the fuel for the salt works. The Kanawha salt industry declined in importance after 1861, until the advent of World War I
brought a demand for chemical products. The chemicals needed were chlorine
and sodium hydroxide, which could be made from salt brine
.
began in 1861. The state of Virginia seceded from the Union
, and Charleston was divided between Union and Confederate
loyalty. On September 13, 1862, the Union and Confederate Armies met in the Battle of Charleston
. Although the Confederate States Army
was victorious, occupation of the city was short-lived. Union troops returned just six weeks later and stayed through the end of the war.
The Northern hold on Charleston and most of the western part of Virginia
created an even larger problem. Virginia already had seceded from the Union, but the western part was under Union control. The issue of statehood was raised. So amid the tumultuous Civil War, West Virginia officially became a state through Presidential Proclamation. Abraham Lincoln
declared the northwestern portion of Virginia to be returned to the Union, and on June 20, 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state.
In addition to the issue of slavery, West Virginia was also driven to separate from Virginia for economic reasons. The heavy industries in the North, particularly the steel
business of the upper Ohio River
region, were dependent on the coal
available from western Virginia mines. Federalized military units were dispatched from Ohio to western Virginia early in the war to secure access to the coal mines and transportation resources.
Although the state now existed, settling on a state capital location proved to be difficult. For several years, the capital of West Virginia intermittently traveled between Wheeling
and Charleston. In 1877, however, state citizens voted on the final location of their capital. Charleston received 41, 243 votes, Clarksburg received 29,442 and Martinsburg received 8,046. Wheeling was not an available option for voting. Charleston was chosen and eight years later, the first capitol building was opened.
After a fire in 1921, a hastily built structure was opened but burned down in 1927. However, a Capitol Building Commission, created by the Legislature in 1921, authorized construction of the present capitol
. Architect Cass Gilbert
designed the buff Indiana limestone
structure, in the Italian Renaissance
style, that was to have a final cost of just under $10 million. After the three stages of construction were completed, Governor William G. Conley
dedicated the capitol on June 20, 1932.
and natural gas
, along with railroad expansion also contributed to growth. New industries, such as chemical, glass
, timber
and steel
migrated to the state, attracted by the area's natural resources. There was a huge amount of new construction in Charleston. A number of those buildings, including churches and office buildings, still stand in the heart of downtown along and bordering Capitol Street.
During World War II
, the first and largest styrene-butadiene
plant in the U.S. opened in nearby Institute
, providing a replacement
for rubber to the war effort. After the war ended, Charleston was on the brink of some significant construction. One of the first during this period was Kanawha Airport (now Yeager Airport
, named after General Chuck Yeager
), which was perhaps one of the most phenomenal engineering accomplishments of its time. Built in 1947, the construction encompassed clearing 360 acres (1.5 km²) on three mountaintops moving more than nine million cubic yards of earth.
In 1959, the Charleston Civic Center
opened its doors. It stands today, totally renovated and providing the largest meeting and exhibit space available in West Virginia.
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
signed the Federal Aid Highway Act. Charleston became part of that system in the 1960s when three major interstate systems—I-64, I-77 and I-79 were constructed, all converging in the heart of Charleston. These roads provide convenient access to Midwestern, Northeastern and Southern cities. Charleston is within a day's drive of 60 percent of the U.S. population.
opened its doors downtown. It was the largest urban-based mall east of the Mississippi River
, featuring three stories of shops and eateries. Downtown revitalization began in earnest in the late 1980s as well. Funds were set aside for streetscaping as Capitol and Quarrier Streets saw new building facades, trees along the streets, and brick walkways installed. For a time, the opening of the Charleston Town Center Mall had a somewhat negative impact on the main streets of downtown Charleston, as many businesses closed and relocated into the mall. For a while, the downtown business district (outside of the mall) had a "ghost town" feel to it which took several years to turn around. Today, Capitol Street, Hale Street, and other bordering streets are an eclectic mixture of restaurants, shops, businesses and services that many call the centerpiece of downtown.
The new Robert C. Byrd Federal Building, Haddad Riverfront Park and Capitol Market are just a few new developments that have helped growth in the downtown area during the 1990s. Charleston also became known as one of the premiere healthcare spots in the state. Along with ambitious thinking, plans for even new entertainment and business venues kept Charleston moving along at a steady pace.
In 1983, WV Public Radio launched a live-performance radio program statewide called Mountain Stage http://www.mountainstage.org. What began as a live, monthly state-wide broadcast went on to national distribution in 1986. Now in its 26th season, Mountain Stage
with Larry Groce records 26 two-hour programs each year, mostly at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, and is heard on over 100 radio stations through National Public Radio and around the world on the Voice of America
satellite service.
2003 marked the opening of the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences. The center includes The Maier Foundation Performance Hall, The Walker Theatre, The Avampato Discovery Museum and an art museum. Also on site is The ElectricSky Theater, which is a 175-seat combination planetarium
and dome-screen cinema. Movies shown at the theatre include educational large format (70 mm
) presentations, and are often seen in similar Omnimax theatres. Planetarium shows are staged as a combination of pre-recorded and live presentations.
Many festivals and events were also incorporated into the calendar, including Multifest, Vandalia Festival, a 4 July celebration with fireworks at Haddad Riverfront Park, and the already popular Sternwheel Regatta, which was founded in 1970, provided a festive atmosphere for residents to enjoy.
Charleston West Virginia has one central agency for its economic development efforts, the Charleston Area Alliance
. The Alliance works with local public officials and the private sector to build the economy of the region and revitalize its downtown. Charleston contains a historic district referred to as the East End. A Main Street program for this district is managed by the Charleston Area Alliance through its East End Main Street program.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²), of which, 31.6 square miles (81.8 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (3.36%) is water.
The city lies at the intersection of Interstates 79, 77, 64, and also where the Kanawha and Elk Rivers meet. Charleston is about 162 miles (261 km) southeast of Columbus, Ohio
, 315 miles (507 km) west of Richmond, Virginia
, 228 miles (367 km) southwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 247 miles (398 km) east of Louisville, Kentucky
, 264 miles (425 km) north of Charlotte, North Carolina
, 252 miles (406 km) south of Cleveland, Ohio, and 210 miles (338 km) southeast of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Eleanor
, which is primarily based on differences in elevation. Charleston's average temperatures are usually warmer than the rest of West Virginia
, due to the city being west of the higher elevations. Spring is the most unpredictable season, and spring-like weather usually arrives in late March or early April. From the beginning of March through early May, temperatures can vary considerably and it is not unusual at this time for day-to-day temperature fluctuations to exceed 20 °F-change. Temperatures warm up considerably in late May, with warm summer-like days. Summer is hot and humid, with daytime highs rising to 90 °F (32 °C) on 20 days, sometimes reaching 95 °F (35 °C), often accompanied by high humidity. Autumn features crisp evenings that warm quickly to mild to warm afternoons. Winters usually differ from other winters in West Virginia. Winters are comparatively mild but still cool, with a January average of 33.4 °F (0.777777777784024 °C), with the occasional 50 °F (10 °C) day and the much rarer 0 °F (-18 °C) both possible. Snowfall can occur anytime from late November to early April, with the heaviest period being January and February. Major snowstorms of more than 10 inches (25 cm) are rare though. The area receives, excepting October, generous precipitation each month, with measurable amounts falling on more than 150 days per year. Thunderstorms are frequent during the late spring and throughout the summer, and occasionally they can be quite severe, producing the rare tornado
. Much of the fall and winter precipitation is in the form of gentle drizzling rains.
Extremes have ranged from −17 °F in December 1917 to 108 °F (42 °C) in July 1931 and August 1918.
is the designated Chief Executive Officer of the city with the duty to see that all of the laws and ordinances of the city are enforced. The Mayor gives general supervision over all executive departments, offices and agencies of the city government and is the presiding officer of the Council and a voting member thereof. The current mayor is a Republican, Danny Jones, who was elected in 2003, and re-elected in 2007 and 2011. Charleston also has a City Manager who is appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council. The City Manager has supervision and control of the executive work and management of the heads of all departments under his control as directed by the Mayor, makes all contracts for labor and supplies, and generally has the responsibility for all of the business and administrative work of the city.
With 27 members, the Charleston City Council is somewhat larger than usual for a city with a population of 50,000. Twenty-one of the Council members are elected from a specific Ward
within in the city, and an additional six members are elected by the city at large.
General Elections for Mayor, City Council and other city officers take place in May every four years (Primary Elections are held in March). The most recent election was in May, 2011. The next scheduled election will be in 2015. S I
of 2000, there were 53,421 people, 24,505 households, and 13,624 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,690.4 people per square mile (652.7/km²). There were 27,131 housing units at an average density of 858.5 per square mile (331.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.63% White
, 15.07% Black or African American
, 0.24% Native American
, 1.83% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 0.30% from other races, and 1.91% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
of any race. The five most common ancestries were German
(12.4%), English
(11.6%), American (11.4%), Irish
(10.6%), and Italian
(3.9%).
There were 24,505 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.4% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.82.
The age distribution was 20.7% under 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,009, and the median income for a family was $47,975. Males had a median income of $38,257 versus $26,671 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $26,017. About 12.7% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
. The three high schools are:
that serves as a clinical campus for the university's medical and dental schools. Students at either school must complete their class work at the main campus in Morgantown
but can complete their clinical rotations at hospitals in Morgantown, the Eastern Panhandle, or Charleston. Students from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
may also complete their clinical rotations at the branch campus, after completing their first two academic years at the main campus in Lewisburg.
The city is also home to a 1,000-student private college, the University of Charleston
, formerly Morris Harvey College. The college is located on MacCorkle Avenue along the banks of the Kanawha River
in the community of South Ruffner. In 2006 the college opened a school of Pharmacy.
Located within the immediate area are West Virginia State University
and Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College, both in Institute
and the Marshall University Graduate College
, a postgraduate-only branch of Marshall University
in South Charleston
. The region is also home to the Charleston Branch of the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing, an independent program administered by Marshall University
; it provides access to computer numerical control (CNC) equipment for businesses in two states.
Located approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) from Charleston, West Virginia University Institute of Technology has its campus in Montgomery, West Virginia. West Virginia University Institute of Technology
is the largest regional campus of the University and focuses mainly on engineering programs.
Charleston is also home to West Virginia Junior College's Charleston campus. Located in downtown Charleston at 1000 Virginia Street, WV Junior College
is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award diplomas and associate degrees. Part of the Kanawha Valley for almost 115 years, WV Junior College was originally established as Capitol City Commercial College on September 1, 1892. The College was originally established to train students in secretarial and business skills and has undergone changes in location and curriculum through the years.
(Charleston Area Medical Center) a complex of hospitals throughout the city.
Saint Francis Hospital (located in downtown)
to the capitol grounds.
The West Virginia Dance Festival, held between April 25 and 30, features dance
students from across the state that attend classes and workshops in ballet
, jazz
and modern dance. At the finale, the students perform in the West Virginia State Theatre; these are free to the public.
Beginning in 1982, Symphony Sunday, held annually usually the first weekend in June, is a full day of music, food, and family fun, culminating in a free performance by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
and a fireworks display following. Throughout the day, local performing community dance and music ensembles present a series of their own selected pieces with the final performance being by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The local performing community dance and music ensembles that perform for Symphony Sunday include the Kanawha Valley Ringers, the West Virginia Kickers, the Charleston Metro Band, the West Virginia Youth Symphony, the Mountain State Brass Band, and the Kanawha Valley Community Band. The now defunct Charleston Neophonic Orchestra has also performed at the event. The event is held on the front lawn of the University of Charleston. The WVSO annually closes the event with the 1812 Overture
followed by "The Stars and Stripes Forever" before the fireworks display.
Twice a year, in late April and again in early November, the West Virginia International Film Festival occurs, where many domestic and international films are shown that range from "full-length feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation and student films. It is the official state film festival.
At the end of September of each year, usually the last Tuesday of September, Charleston hosts the Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival
for the eight public high schools in Kanawha County. The festival began in 1947 and has continued on as an annual tradition. The festival is held at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field in downtown Charleston. It is West Virginia's longest running music festival.
On the Saturday of Valentine's Day Weekend every year, residents gather together for the not-quite-a-5k Run 5k. The Run attracts those who aren't runners and the 5k features frequent stops for candy, conversation, ice cream, smoke breaks and general Grumbling about having to walk or jog for more than three miles. This is paired with an Anti / Pro Valentine's Day Party which is hosted annually in the evenings.
On May 6, the Kanawha Kordsmen Barbershop Chorus performs at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences. The 40-man a cappella
chorus performs music in a show titled "Songs America Sings." On Memorial Day
weekend, the Vandalia Gathering is held on the grounds of the state capitol. Thousands of visitors each year enjoy traditional music, art, dance, stories, crafts and food that stems from the "uniqueness of West Virginia's mountain culture." There is no fee for admission.
Since 2005 FestivALL has provided the Charleston area with cultural and artistic events beginning on June 20 (West Virginia Day
) and including dance, theater, and music. FestivALL provides local artists a valuable chance to display their works and help get others interested in, and involved with, the local artistic community. Highlights include an art fair on Capitol Street and local bands playing live music at stages set up throughout downtown, as well as a wine and jazz festival on the campus of the University of Charleston
featuring local and nationally known jazz artists and showcasing the products of West Virginia vineyards.
The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, founded in 1970, is a former annual event that was held on Labor Day weekend of each year. The event had carnival style rides and attractions and live music from local and nationally known bands. It was held on the Kanawha Boulevard by Haddad Riverfront Park on the Kanawha River. The event started the Wednesday before Labor Day Weekend and ended the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend with a fireworks show on Sunday evening. Due to "political differences" between local sternwheel owners and factions of city government, sternwheel attendance declined in recent years. Once a promising regatta, rivaling Tall Stacks in Cincinnati, it was discontinued after the 2008 festival season. Charleston, home to the largest population of privately owned sternwheel vessels in the United States is the only city in the region not home to an annual river festival.
The 2008 World's Strongest Man Competition was hosted in Charleston, the hometown of Phil Pfister
, the champion of the 2006 games.
The Beach Sports Network, comprising The EVP Tour and Upstate Watercraft Promotions, produced the first annual "EVP Rocks the River" from July 31-August 2, 2009. This consisted of a Volleyball tournament along side world class Watercross.
are included on the National Register of Historic Places
. A segment of the East End consisting of several blocks of both Virginia and Quarrier Streets, encompassing an area of nearly a full square mile, has been officially designated as a historical neighborhood. This residential neighborhood has many houses dating from the late 19th and early 20th century as well as a few art deco
style apartment buildings dating from the 1920s and early 30s.
Downtown Charleston is home to several commercial buildings that are between 80 to 115 years old, including such notable structures as the Security Building (corner of Virginia and Capitol Street), 401 Capitol Street (the former Daniel Boone Hotel), the Union Building (at the southern end of Capitol Street), the Kanawha County Courthouse, the Public Library (corner of Capitol and Quarrier Streets) and the Masonic Temple (corner of Virginia and Dickenson Street).
Also of note are several historic churches grouped closely together in a neighborhood just to the east of downtown; Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
(one of the two cathedrals of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
), First Presbyterian Church, Kanawha United Presbyterian Church, St. John's Episcopal Church, Charleston Baptist Temple, St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Christ Church United Methodist.
Additional historic buildings can be found throughout the city, particularly in the broader East End, the West Side and Kanawha City. Some of these buildings include:
Club
Sport
Founded
League
Venue
West Virginia Power
Baseball
2005
South Atlantic League
Appalachian Power Park
West Virginia Chaos
Soccer
2003
USL Premier Development League
Schoenbaum Field
West Virginia Wildfire
Women's American football
2008
Women's Spring Football League
TBA
. Opened in 1983, the Town Center Mall is a three-story shopping and dining facility, with 130 specialty stores. Macy's
, Sears
and J.C. Penney
are the mall's current anchor stores. The fourth anchor pad is occupied by the headquarters for BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Co., the private West Virginia–based workers' compensation carrier. There are also six major restaurants located on street level and 12 fast food restaurants representing the food court, located on the third floor of the mall.
There are four major shopping plazas located in Charleston, one in the Kanawha City neighborhood - The Shops at Kanawha - and three in the Southridge area, divided between Charleston and South Charleston
— Southridge Centre, Dudley Farms Plaza, and The Shops at Trace Fork.
Major stores:
The Shops at Kanawha plaza, formerly The Kanawha Mall, includes Elder-Beerman
and Gabriel Brothers
as its anchor stores, with the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Customer Service Center as the only remaining tenant in the indoor mall section of the facility. Lowes and Kroger
, while not attached to the plaza, are also an integral part of the area. Taco Bell
, Applebees, Burger King
, Arbys, Captain Dee's, and Cracker Barrel
restaurants, as well as two bank branches and several local restaurants, round out the area.
Southridge Centre plaza includes Wal-Mart
, Staples, Toys "R" Us, Gander Mountain
, Ashley Home Furnishings, and Sam's Club
. Southridge is also home to Olive Garden
, Red Lobster
, Chucky Cheese, Quaker Steak & Lube
, Wendy's
, Taco Bell
, McDonald's
, Longhorn Steak House, and several other restaurants, along with two bank branches, Marquee Cinemas
, the regional jail, and a US Postal Service regional facility.
Dudley Farms Plaza includes Kohl's
, Office Max, Radio Shack
, Books-A-Million
, and Michaels
. Logan's Roadhouse
is the only restaurant that is part of the plaza itself.
The Shops at Trace Fork plaza includes Marshall's, Men's Wearhouse
, PetSmart
, Dick's Sporting Goods
, Target
, Best Buy
, Lowe's
, Dress Barn, and Pier 1 Imports
.
Print
Charleston is home to two major newspapers. The Charleston Gazette is the largest circulation newspaper in West Virginia, published Monday through Friday in the morning. The Charleston Daily Mail
is published on mornings Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the Charleston Gazette and the Daily Mail combine to produce a newspaper titled the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
or Bristol Broadcasting Company
.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Call sign !! Frequency !! Format !! Description / Notes
|-
| WVPN
*
| 88.5 FM
| Public Radio http://wvpubcast.org/
| NPR News, Classical Music, Mountain Stage, and other local and national programs.
|-
| KLOVE
| 93.3 FM
| Religious
|-
| WXAF
*
| 90.9 FM
| Religious
|
|-
| WZAC
| 92.5 FM
| Classic Country
|-
| WVTS
| 94.5 FM
| News
/ Talk
http://www.wvtsam950.com/newdesign
| Supertalk 94.5
|-
| WKWS
*
| 96.1 FM
| Country
http://www.961thewolf.com
| 96.1 The Wolf. The station plays mostly country music, but also has a mix of Southern rock
.
|-
| WQBE
*
| 97.5 FM
| Country
http://www.wqbe.com
| 97.5 WQBE. The Charleston MSA
's #1 rated radio station, according to Arbitron
.
|-
| WRVZ
| 98.7 FM
| Rhythmic Top 40 http://www.987thebeat.com
| 98.7 The Beat. Despite the station's low ERP
, it still competes well with Electric 102.7.
|-
| WVAF
*
| 99.9 FM
| Adult Contemporary http://www.v100.fm
| V-100
|-
| WMXE
| 100.9 FM
| Classic Hits
http://www.wmxe.net
| 100.9 The Mix
|-
| WVSR
*
| 102.7 FM
| Top 40 http://www.electric102.com
| Electric 102.7
|-
| WKLC
| 105.1 FM
| Rock http://www.wklc.com
| Rock 105
|-luke eddy
| WAMX
| 106.3 FM
| Rock http://www.x1063.com
| X 106.3
|-
| WKAZ
| 107.3 FM
| Classic Rock
http://www.1073krock.com
| 107.3 K-Rock
|-
| WCHS
*
| 580 AM
| News
/ Talk
http://www.58wchs.com
| 58 WCHS
|-
| WKAZ
*
| 680 AM
| Oldies
| The Oldies format was formerly on 107.3
.
|-
| WVTS*
| 950 AM
| News
/ Talk
http://www.WVTSAM950.com
| Supertalk 950
|-
| WSWW*
| 1490 AM
| Sports
| ESPN 1490
|}
* represents radio stations that are licensed to the city of Charleston.
, and southern Ohio
. There are four VHF and ten UHF
television stations in the market, even though some of the stations broadcast from Ohio and Kentucky.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Call sign !! Channel !! Description
|-
| width="15%" | WSAZ
| width="15%" | 3
| width="70%" | Huntington
(NBC
)/(MyNetworkTV
on DT2)
|-
| WCHS-TV
| 8
| Charleston (ABC
)
|-
| WVAH
| 11
| Teays Valley
(Fox
)
|-
| WOWK
| 13
| Huntington
(CBS
)
|-
| WOUB
| 20
| Athens, Ohio
(PBS
)
|-
| WOCW-LP
| 21
| Charleston (The CW)
|-
| WKPI
| 22
| Pikeville, Kentucky
(PBS
/ KET
)
|-
| WKAS
| 25
| Ashland, Kentucky
(PBS
/ KET
)
|-
| WLPX
| 29
| Hurricane
(ION)
|-
| WQCW
| 30
| Portsmouth, Ohio
(The CW)
|-
| WPBY
| 33
| Huntington
(PBS
)
|-
| WPBO
| 42
| Portsmouth, Ohio
(PBS
)
|-
| WVCW-LP
| 45
| Huntington
(The CW)
|-
| WYMT
| 57
| Hazard, Kentucky
(CBS
)
|-
| WTSF
| 61
| Ashland, Kentucky
(Daystar
)
|}
There are 21 high-rise buildings located in Charleston. The Kanawha Valley Building is the tallest structure in the downtown area.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Tallest buildings
|-
! Name
! Stories
! Height
|-
| West Virginia State Capitol
|| 30 || 292 ft (89 m)
|-
| Kanawha Valley Building || 22 || 265 ft (81 m)
|-
| Laidley Tower
|| 18 (22 total) || 256 ft (78 m)
|-
| BB&T Square || 18 || 250 ft (76.2 m)
|-
| Bank One Center || 20 || 230 ft (70 m)
|-
| Huntington Square || 17 || 207 ft (63.1 m)
|-
| Dow
Chemical Building || 14 || 206 ft. (63 m)
|-
| United Center || 12 || 205 ft (62.5 m)
|-
| Columbia Gas Transmission Building ( Tower 2 ) || 13 || 200 ft (61 m)
|-
| AT&T Building || 15 || 195 ft (60 m)
|-
| Imperial Tower || 19 || 191 ft (58 m)
|-
| City Center West || 13 || 186 ft (57 m)
|-
| Union Building || 14 || 183 ft (56 m)
|-
| Columbia Gas Transmission Building ( Tower 1 ) || 12 || 177 ft (54 m)
|-
| Charleston Marriott Town Center || 16 || 175 ft (53.3 m)
|-
| 405 Capitol Street Building || 12 || 136 ft (41 m)
|-
| Carroll Terrace || 13 || ? ft (? m)
|-
| Holiday Inn Charleston House || 12 || ? ft (? m)
|-
| Boulevard Tower || 12 || ? ft (? m)
|-
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is West Virginia's largest airport. It is located 2 miles (3 km) north of Interstate 64
and Interstate 77
, accessible via WV 114.
, the national passenger rail service, provides tri-weekly service to Charleston via the Cardinal routes. The Amtrak station is on the south side of the Kanawha River, at 350 MacCorkle Avenue near downtown.
Interstate 64 crosses the Kanawha River four times as it passes through the Charleston metropolitan area. The Elk River
flows into the Kanawha River in downtown Charleston.
, Interstate 77
, and Interstate 79
. The West Virginia Turnpike
's northern terminus is at the southeastern end of the city. Two U.S. routes, US 60
, and US 119
, cut through the city center. US 21
formerly ran through Charleston.
WV 25, WV 61, WV 62, and WV 114 are all state highways that are within Charleston's city limits.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. It is located at the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the Elk
Elk River (West Virginia)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, long, in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.-Course:...
and Kanawha
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
Rivers in Kanawha County
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Kanawha County.
Early industry important to Charleston included salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
and the first natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
well. Later, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
became central to economic prosperity in the city and the surrounding area. Today, trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
, utilities, government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
play the central role in the city's economy.
The first permanent settlement, Ft. Lee, was built in 1788. In 1791, Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
was a member of the Kanawha County Assembly.
Charleston is the home of the West Virginia Power
West Virginia Power
This article is about the baseball team, for the electric utility serving southeast West Virginia from 1986-99, see Allegheny Energy.The West Virginia Power is a minor league baseball team of the South Atlantic League, and is the Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in...
(formerly the Charleston Alley Cats) minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team, the West Virginia Wild
West Virginia Wild
The West Virginia Wild is a basketball team that plays in the Mountain State Basketball League. Formerly, they played in the American Basketball Association, International Basketball League and then later joined the National Professional Basketball League. The team is based in Charleston, West...
minor league basketball team, and the annual 15 miles (24 km) Charleston Distance Run
Charleston Distance Run
The Charleston Distance Run is a 15 mile road running event held annually in Charleston, West Virginia. The race starts at the corner of Virginia Street and Civic Center Drive. The course winds through Charleston's South Hills for six miles before crossing back over the South Side Bridge...
. Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Charleston, a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is owned by the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority...
and the University of Charleston
University of Charleston
The University of Charleston is a private university in Charleston, West Virginia, United States of over 1,300 students.-History:The school was founded in 1888 as the Barboursville Seminary of the Southern Methodist Church...
are also located in the city.
Charleston is also home to the 130th Airlift Wing
130th Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 130th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia.-Mission:Role Provide support for airlift missions at both the state and federal level-History:...
of the West Virginia Air National Guard
West Virginia Air National Guard
The West Virginia Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is, along with the West Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the West Virginia National Guard...
.
The city also contains public parks, such as Cato Park and Coonskin Park, and the Kanawha State Forest
Kanawha State Forest
Kanawha State Forest is a recreation area located near the community of Loudendale, West Virginia, which is about from downtown Charleston, West Virginia, United States...
, a large public state park that sustains a pool, camping sites, several biking/walking trails, picnic areas, as well as several shelters provided for recreational use.
History
Beginnings
After the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, pioneers began making their way out from the early settlements. Many slowly migrated into the western part of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Capitalizing on its many resources made Charleston an important part of Virginia and West Virginia history. Today, Charleston is the largest city in the state and the state capital.
Charleston's history goes back to the 18th century. Thomas Bullitt
Thomas Bullitt
Thomas Bullitt was an United States soldier and pioneer from Prince William County, Virginia.Thomas was born to Benjamin and Sarah Bullitt abut 1734 in Prince William County of Virginia. He became active in the militia when young, and became interested in western exploration and development...
was deeded 1250 acres (5 km²) of land near the mouth of the Elk River
Elk River (West Virginia)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, long, in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.-Course:...
in 1773. It was inherited by his brother, Cuthbert Bullitt
Cuthbert Bullitt
Cuthbert Bullitt was a planter and lawyer from Prince William County, Virginia. He was a local and colonial political leader during the American Revolution....
, upon his death in 1782, and sold to Col. George Clendenin in 1786. The first permanent settlement, Fort Lee, was built in 1787 by Col. Clendenin and his company of Virginia Rangers. This structure occupied the area that is now the intersection of Brooks Street and Kanawha Boulevard. Historical conjecture indicates that Charleston is named after Col. Clendenin's father, Charles. Charles Town was later shortened to Charleston to avoid confusion with another Charles Town
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
in eastern West Virginia, which was named after George Washington's brother Charles.
Six years later, the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
officially established Charleston. On the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) that made up the town in 1794, 35 people inhabited seven houses.
Charleston is part of Kanawha County. The origin of the word Kanawha , "Ka(h)nawha", derives from the region's Iroquois dialects meaning "water way" or "Canoe Way" implying the metaphor, "transport way", in the local language. It was and is the name of the river that flows past Charleston. The grammar of the "hard H" sound soon dropped out as new arrivals of various European languages developed West Virginia. The phrase has been a matter of Register (sociolinguistics)
Register (sociolinguistics)
In linguistics, a register is a variety of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting. For example, when speaking in a formal setting an English speaker may be more likely to adhere more closely to prescribed grammar, pronounce words ending in -ing with a velar nasal...
. In fact, a two-story jail was the first county structure ever built, with the first floor literally dug into the bank of the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
.
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, who was commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the Kanawha County militia, was elected to serve in 1791 in the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
. As told in historical accounts, Boone walked all the way to Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Industrial growth
By the early 19th century, salt brines were discovered along the Kanawha River and the first salt wellSalt well
A salt well is used to mine salt from subterranean caverns or deposits by the use of water as a solution to dissolve the salt or halite deposits so that they can be extracted by pipe to an evaporation process that results in a brine or dry product for sale or use...
was drilled in 1806. This created a prosperous time and great economic growth for the area. By 1808, 1,250 pounds of salt were being produced a day. An area adjacent to Charleston, Kanawha Salines, now Malden, would become the top salt producer in the world. In 1818, Kanawha Salt Company, first trust in United States, went into operation.
Captain James Wilson, while drilling for salt, struck the first natural gas well in 1815. It was drilled at the site that is now the junction of Brooks Street and Kanawha Boulevard (near the present-day state capitol complex.) In 1817, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
was first discovered and gradually became used as the fuel for the salt works. The Kanawha salt industry declined in importance after 1861, until the advent of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
brought a demand for chemical products. The chemicals needed were chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
and sodium hydroxide, which could be made from salt brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
.
Political growth
The town continued to grow until the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began in 1861. The state of Virginia seceded from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, and Charleston was divided between Union and Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
loyalty. On September 13, 1862, the Union and Confederate Armies met in the Battle of Charleston
Battle of Charleston (1862)
The Battle of Charleston was an engagement on September 13, 1862, near Charleston, Virginia during the American Civil War. It should not be confused with the Battle of Charleston , which occurred a year earlier in Missouri...
. Although the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
was victorious, occupation of the city was short-lived. Union troops returned just six weeks later and stayed through the end of the war.
The Northern hold on Charleston and most of the western part of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
created an even larger problem. Virginia already had seceded from the Union, but the western part was under Union control. The issue of statehood was raised. So amid the tumultuous Civil War, West Virginia officially became a state through Presidential Proclamation. Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
declared the northwestern portion of Virginia to be returned to the Union, and on June 20, 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state.
In addition to the issue of slavery, West Virginia was also driven to separate from Virginia for economic reasons. The heavy industries in the North, particularly the steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
business of the upper Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
region, were dependent on the coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
available from western Virginia mines. Federalized military units were dispatched from Ohio to western Virginia early in the war to secure access to the coal mines and transportation resources.
Although the state now existed, settling on a state capital location proved to be difficult. For several years, the capital of West Virginia intermittently traveled between Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Charleston. In 1877, however, state citizens voted on the final location of their capital. Charleston received 41, 243 votes, Clarksburg received 29,442 and Martinsburg received 8,046. Wheeling was not an available option for voting. Charleston was chosen and eight years later, the first capitol building was opened.
After a fire in 1921, a hastily built structure was opened but burned down in 1927. However, a Capitol Building Commission, created by the Legislature in 1921, authorized construction of the present capitol
West Virginia State Capitol
The West Virginia State Capitol is the seat of government for the state of West Virginia, and houses the West Virginia Legislature and the office of the Governor of West Virginia. Located in Charleston, West Virginia, the building was dedicated in 1932...
. Architect Cass Gilbert
Cass Gilbert
- Historical impact :Gilbert is considered a skyscraper pioneer; when designing the Woolworth Building he moved into unproven ground — though he certainly was aware of the ground-breaking work done by Chicago architects on skyscrapers and once discussed merging firms with the legendary Daniel...
designed the buff Indiana limestone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
structure, in the Italian Renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
style, that was to have a final cost of just under $10 million. After the three stages of construction were completed, Governor William G. Conley
William G. Conley
William Gustavus Conley was an American politician who served as the 18th Governor of West Virginia as a Republican from 1929 to 1933.-Biography:...
dedicated the capitol on June 20, 1932.
Development in the 1900s
Charleston was now the center for state government. Natural resources, such as coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, along with railroad expansion also contributed to growth. New industries, such as chemical, glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
, timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
migrated to the state, attracted by the area's natural resources. There was a huge amount of new construction in Charleston. A number of those buildings, including churches and office buildings, still stand in the heart of downtown along and bordering Capitol Street.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the first and largest styrene-butadiene
Styrene-butadiene
Styrene-Butadiene or Styrene-Butadiene-Rubber is a synthetic rubber copolymer consisting of styrene and butadiene. It has good abrasion resistance and good aging stability when protected by additives, and is widely used in car tires, where it may be blended with natural rubber...
plant in the U.S. opened in nearby Institute
Institute, West Virginia
Institute is an unincorporated community on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, USA. The community lies off of Interstate 64 and West Virginia Route 25, and has grown to intermingle with nearby Dunbar...
, providing a replacement
Synthetic rubber
Synthetic rubber is is any type of artificial elastomer, invariably a polymer. An elastomer is a material with the mechanical property that it can undergo much more elastic deformation under stress than most materials and still return to its previous size without permanent deformation...
for rubber to the war effort. After the war ended, Charleston was on the brink of some significant construction. One of the first during this period was Kanawha Airport (now Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Charleston, a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is owned by the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority...
, named after General Chuck Yeager
Chuck Yeager
Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager is a retired major general in the United States Air Force and noted test pilot. He was the first pilot to travel faster than sound...
), which was perhaps one of the most phenomenal engineering accomplishments of its time. Built in 1947, the construction encompassed clearing 360 acres (1.5 km²) on three mountaintops moving more than nine million cubic yards of earth.
In 1959, the Charleston Civic Center
Charleston Civic Center
The Charleston Civic Center is a municipal complex located in the downtown area of Charleston, West Virginia. Originally completed in 1959 at the cost of $2.5 million, the Charleston Civic Center has undergone numerous renovations and expansions...
opened its doors. It stands today, totally renovated and providing the largest meeting and exhibit space available in West Virginia.
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
signed the Federal Aid Highway Act. Charleston became part of that system in the 1960s when three major interstate systems—I-64, I-77 and I-79 were constructed, all converging in the heart of Charleston. These roads provide convenient access to Midwestern, Northeastern and Southern cities. Charleston is within a day's drive of 60 percent of the U.S. population.
Modern development
In 1983, the Charleston Town CenterCharleston Town Center
Charleston Town Center is an enclosed shopping mall in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, USA. One of the largest enclosed malls to be located in a downtown shopping district, it comprises more than 150+ tenants on two levels, as well as a food court on a partial third level. Anchor stores...
opened its doors downtown. It was the largest urban-based mall east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, featuring three stories of shops and eateries. Downtown revitalization began in earnest in the late 1980s as well. Funds were set aside for streetscaping as Capitol and Quarrier Streets saw new building facades, trees along the streets, and brick walkways installed. For a time, the opening of the Charleston Town Center Mall had a somewhat negative impact on the main streets of downtown Charleston, as many businesses closed and relocated into the mall. For a while, the downtown business district (outside of the mall) had a "ghost town" feel to it which took several years to turn around. Today, Capitol Street, Hale Street, and other bordering streets are an eclectic mixture of restaurants, shops, businesses and services that many call the centerpiece of downtown.
The new Robert C. Byrd Federal Building, Haddad Riverfront Park and Capitol Market are just a few new developments that have helped growth in the downtown area during the 1990s. Charleston also became known as one of the premiere healthcare spots in the state. Along with ambitious thinking, plans for even new entertainment and business venues kept Charleston moving along at a steady pace.
In 1983, WV Public Radio launched a live-performance radio program statewide called Mountain Stage http://www.mountainstage.org. What began as a live, monthly state-wide broadcast went on to national distribution in 1986. Now in its 26th season, Mountain Stage
Mountain Stage
Mountain Stage is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by WV Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio and the Voice of America's satellite radio service. Hosted by Larry Groce, the program showcases diverse music, from the traditional to modern...
with Larry Groce records 26 two-hour programs each year, mostly at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, and is heard on over 100 radio stations through National Public Radio and around the world on the Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
satellite service.
2003 marked the opening of the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences. The center includes The Maier Foundation Performance Hall, The Walker Theatre, The Avampato Discovery Museum and an art museum. Also on site is The ElectricSky Theater, which is a 175-seat combination planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
and dome-screen cinema. Movies shown at the theatre include educational large format (70 mm
70 mm film
70mm film is a wide high-resolution film gauge, with higher resolution than standard 35mm motion picture film format. As used in camera, the film is wide. For projection, the original 65mm film is printed on film. The additional 5mm are for magnetic strips holding four of the six tracks of sound...
) presentations, and are often seen in similar Omnimax theatres. Planetarium shows are staged as a combination of pre-recorded and live presentations.
Many festivals and events were also incorporated into the calendar, including Multifest, Vandalia Festival, a 4 July celebration with fireworks at Haddad Riverfront Park, and the already popular Sternwheel Regatta, which was founded in 1970, provided a festive atmosphere for residents to enjoy.
Charleston West Virginia has one central agency for its economic development efforts, the Charleston Area Alliance
Charleston Area Alliance
The Charleston Area Alliance is a private, non-profit community and economic development organization headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia. The Alliance offers a range of free and confidential services to companies considering Charleston for expansion or new operations, including providing...
. The Alliance works with local public officials and the private sector to build the economy of the region and revitalize its downtown. Charleston contains a historic district referred to as the East End. A Main Street program for this district is managed by the Charleston Area Alliance through its East End Main Street program.
Geography and climate
Charleston is located at 38°20′58"N 81°38′0"W (38.349497, -81.633294).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²), of which, 31.6 square miles (81.8 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (3.36%) is water.
The city lies at the intersection of Interstates 79, 77, 64, and also where the Kanawha and Elk Rivers meet. Charleston is about 162 miles (261 km) southeast of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, 315 miles (507 km) west of Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, 228 miles (367 km) southwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 247 miles (398 km) east of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, 264 miles (425 km) north of Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, 252 miles (406 km) south of Cleveland, Ohio, and 210 miles (338 km) southeast of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Communities within Charleston
The following are neighborhoods and communities actually within the city limits:- Charleston Heights (Westmoreland/Hillsdale)
- Davis Creek
- East EndEast End Historic District (Charleston, West Virginia)East End Historic District is a national historic district located at Charleston, West Virginia. The district is set on a broad, ancient flood plain bordered by the Great Kanawha River on the south and by commercialized Washington Street on the north. The West Virginia State Capitol complex forms...
- EdgewoodEdgewood Historic District (Charleston, West Virginia)Edgewood Historic District is a national historic district located at Charleston, West Virginia. The district is set on the West Side of the city and was the first planned suburb in Charleston. The area developed in the early 20th century...
- Elk
- Forest Hills
- Fort Hill
- Kanawha CityKanawha City, West VirginiaKanawha City is a neighborhood of the city of Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is in the southeastern part of the city, and located along WV 61 It officially starts at the 35th Street bridge, where there is a sign welcoming visitors. It comprises mostly small stores...
- Louden Heights
- North Charleston
- Oakwood
- Riverview
- Shadowlawn
- South Park
- South Hills
- South Ruffner
- West Side
Suburbs
The following communities are suburbs of Charleston:- Alum CreekAlum Creek, West VirginiaAlum Creek is a census-designated place in Kanawha and Lincoln counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located along the Coal River, it had a population of 1,749 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Alum Creek is located at ....
- BelleBelle, West VirginiaBelle is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 1,259 at the 2000 census. Belle was incorporated on December 13, 1958 by the Kanawha County Circuit Court...
- Cabin Creek
- Campbells Creek
- ClendeninClendenin, West VirginiaClendenin is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia along the Elk River. The population was 1,227 at the 2010 census. Clendenin was incorporated in 1904 and named for the Clendenins, an early pioneer family in the Kanawha River Valley. Charleston, WV retains the namesake of George Clendenin's...
- ChesapeakeChesapeake, West VirginiaChesapeake is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,643 at the 2000 census. The town is situated on the Kanawha River. Chesapeake was incorporated in 1949 and named for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, which has served the community since 1873. It is also the...
- Coal ForkCoal Fork, West VirginiaCoal Fork is an unincorporated census-designated place in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Coal Fork is located at ....
- Cross LanesCross Lanes, West VirginiaCross Lanes is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,995.-Geography:...
- DunbarDunbar, West VirginiaDunbar is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 7,907 at the 2010 census estimate. Dunbar was incorporated on April 19, 1921, by an Act of the West Virginia Legislature, and named for Dunbar Baines, a prominent area banker.-History:Located at Dunbar is...
- DuPont
- ElkviewElkview, West VirginiaElkview is a census-designated place in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,222 at the 2010 census. It is named after the Elk River, which flows into the Kanawha River....
- HurricaneHurricane, West VirginiaHurricane is a city in Putnam County, West Virginia, in the United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census.-History:Hurricane was named after Hurricane Creek, which was, in turn, named after a group of trees at the mouth of the river bent in one direction...
- InstituteInstitute, West VirginiaInstitute is an unincorporated community on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, USA. The community lies off of Interstate 64 and West Virginia Route 25, and has grown to intermingle with nearby Dunbar...
- MaldenMalden, West VirginiaMalden is an unincorporated community in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States, within the Charleston metro area. The ZIP code for Malden is 25306 and the area code is 304. Malden is set in the Eastern Standard Time Zone.-History:...
- MarmetMarmet, West VirginiaMarmet is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, USA, along the Kanawha River.-Geography:Marmet is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles , of which, 1.4 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is...
- Mink ShoalsMink Shoals, West VirginiaMink Shoals is an unincorporated community along U.S. Route 119 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States and can be accessed by Interstate 79, Exit #1. It is located on the Elk River and has a public access site of the Elk River. It's rural-like feel attracts many residents, even though it...
- NitroNitro, West VirginiaNitro is a city in West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. Most of the city lies in Kanawha County, with the remainder in Putnam County. The population was 7,178 at the 2010 census.Nitro was incorporated in 1932 by Circuit Court.- City name origin :...
- PinchPinch, West VirginiaPinch is an unincorporated census-designated place in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,262 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Pinch is located at ....
- PocaPoca, West VirginiaPoca is a town in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 974 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Poca is located at . It is sited at the confluence of the Kanawha River and the Pocatalico River....
- Pocatalico
- Quick
- Rand
- St. Albans
- Scott Depot
- SissonvilleSissonville, West VirginiaSissonville is an unincorporated census-designated place in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Pocatalico River. The population was 4,028 at the 2010 census...
- South CharlestonSouth Charleston, West VirginiaSouth Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
- Teays ValleyTeays Valley, West VirginiaTeays Valley is a census-designated place in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. The place is divided into the two districts of Teays Valley and Scott Depot...
- Upper FallsUpper Falls, West VirginiaUpper Falls is an unincorporated census designated place in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,701.The Coal River bisects the community and gives it its name from the cascading waters of its Upper Falls.-Geography:...
- WinfieldWinfield, West VirginiaWinfield is a town in Putnam County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 2,301 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Putnam County....
Eleanor
Climate
Charleston has a four-season climate lying within the northern fringes of a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, which is primarily based on differences in elevation. Charleston's average temperatures are usually warmer than the rest of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, due to the city being west of the higher elevations. Spring is the most unpredictable season, and spring-like weather usually arrives in late March or early April. From the beginning of March through early May, temperatures can vary considerably and it is not unusual at this time for day-to-day temperature fluctuations to exceed 20 °F-change. Temperatures warm up considerably in late May, with warm summer-like days. Summer is hot and humid, with daytime highs rising to 90 °F (32 °C) on 20 days, sometimes reaching 95 °F (35 °C), often accompanied by high humidity. Autumn features crisp evenings that warm quickly to mild to warm afternoons. Winters usually differ from other winters in West Virginia. Winters are comparatively mild but still cool, with a January average of 33.4 °F (0.777777777784024 °C), with the occasional 50 °F (10 °C) day and the much rarer 0 °F (-18 °C) both possible. Snowfall can occur anytime from late November to early April, with the heaviest period being January and February. Major snowstorms of more than 10 inches (25 cm) are rare though. The area receives, excepting October, generous precipitation each month, with measurable amounts falling on more than 150 days per year. Thunderstorms are frequent during the late spring and throughout the summer, and occasionally they can be quite severe, producing the rare tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
. Much of the fall and winter precipitation is in the form of gentle drizzling rains.
Extremes have ranged from −17 °F in December 1917 to 108 °F (42 °C) in July 1931 and August 1918.
Government
Charleston functions under the Mayor-Council form of city government. The MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is the designated Chief Executive Officer of the city with the duty to see that all of the laws and ordinances of the city are enforced. The Mayor gives general supervision over all executive departments, offices and agencies of the city government and is the presiding officer of the Council and a voting member thereof. The current mayor is a Republican, Danny Jones, who was elected in 2003, and re-elected in 2007 and 2011. Charleston also has a City Manager who is appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council. The City Manager has supervision and control of the executive work and management of the heads of all departments under his control as directed by the Mayor, makes all contracts for labor and supplies, and generally has the responsibility for all of the business and administrative work of the city.
With 27 members, the Charleston City Council is somewhat larger than usual for a city with a population of 50,000. Twenty-one of the Council members are elected from a specific Ward
Wards of the United States
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city or town, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes...
within in the city, and an additional six members are elected by the city at large.
General Elections for Mayor, City Council and other city officers take place in May every four years (Primary Elections are held in March). The most recent election was in May, 2011. The next scheduled election will be in 2015. S I
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 53,421 people, 24,505 households, and 13,624 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,690.4 people per square mile (652.7/km²). There were 27,131 housing units at an average density of 858.5 per square mile (331.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.63% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 15.07% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.24% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 1.83% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.30% from other races, and 1.91% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race. The five most common ancestries were German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(12.4%), English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
(11.6%), American (11.4%), Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(10.6%), and Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(3.9%).
There were 24,505 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.4% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.82.
The age distribution was 20.7% under 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,009, and the median income for a family was $47,975. Males had a median income of $38,257 versus $26,671 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $26,017. About 12.7% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city of Charleston has numerous schools that are part of Kanawha County SchoolsKanawha County Schools
Kanawha County Schools is the operating school district within Kanawha County, West Virginia. It is governed by the Kanawha County Board of Education.-Board of education:...
. The three high schools are:
- Capital High SchoolCapital High School (Charleston, West Virginia)Capital High School is a public high school located in Charleston, West Virginia.-History:The original high school in the city was Charleston High School, locally known as "The High" serving the entire city. In 1940 the school had become overcrowded and the district was divided at the Elk River,...
, a public school located in the community of Meadowbrook; consolidation of Charleston High School and Stonewall Jackson High School; - George Washington High School, a public school located in the South Hills neighborhood;
- Charleston Catholic High SchoolCharleston Catholic High SchoolCharleston Catholic High School is located in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, USA. CCHS is a Catholic, coeducational high school founded in 1923. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.-History:...
, a CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
school at the eastern edge of the city's downtown.
Former high schools
- Charleston High SchoolCharleston High SchoolCharleston High School is a former high school, which was closed in 1989, in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Its final location is where CAMC General Hospital is now located in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. In 1989, Charleston High School and Stonewall Jackson High School consolidated to form...
, located where CAMC General Hospital is now located; - Stonewall Jackson High SchoolStonewall Jackson High School (Kanawha County, West Virginia)Stonewall Jackson High School is a former high school in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It opened in 1940 and closed in 1989. It was located on the West Side in Charleston, West Virginia. In 1989, Stonewall Jackson High School and Charleston High School consolidated to become Capital High School...
, now a middle school;
Middle schools
Also known as Junior High Schools.- Stonewall Jackson Middle School in the West Side
- John Adams Middle School in South Hills
- Horace Mann Middle School in Kanawha City
Elementary schools
{|class="wikitable"}- Holz Elementary School
- Piedmont Elementary School
- Ruffner Elementary School
- Overbrook Elementary School
- Kanawha City Elementary School
- Chamberlain Elementary School
- Watts Elementary School
- West Side Primary school
- Ruthlawn Elementary School
- Robins Elementary School
- Grandview Elementary School
- Kenna Elementary School
- Weberwood Elementary School
- Sacred Heart Elementary School
- Bonham Elementary School
- West Side Intermediate School
- West Side Elementary School - Currently under construction
Colleges and universities
Charleston hosts a branch campus of West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
that serves as a clinical campus for the university's medical and dental schools. Students at either school must complete their class work at the main campus in Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
but can complete their clinical rotations at hospitals in Morgantown, the Eastern Panhandle, or Charleston. Students from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, located in Lewisburg, West Virginia, United States, is a public free-standing and independent medical school not affiliated with a larger institution...
may also complete their clinical rotations at the branch campus, after completing their first two academic years at the main campus in Lewisburg.
The city is also home to a 1,000-student private college, the University of Charleston
University of Charleston
The University of Charleston is a private university in Charleston, West Virginia, United States of over 1,300 students.-History:The school was founded in 1888 as the Barboursville Seminary of the Southern Methodist Church...
, formerly Morris Harvey College. The college is located on MacCorkle Avenue along the banks of the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
in the community of South Ruffner. In 2006 the college opened a school of Pharmacy.
Located within the immediate area are West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University is a historically black public college in Institute, West Virginia, United States. In the Charleston-metro area, the school is usually referred to simply as "State" or "West Virginia State"...
and Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College, both in Institute
Institute, West Virginia
Institute is an unincorporated community on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, USA. The community lies off of Interstate 64 and West Virginia Route 25, and has grown to intermingle with nearby Dunbar...
and the Marshall University Graduate College
Marshall University Graduate College
Marshall University - South Charleston Campus is a non-residential branch campus of Marshall University located in South Charleston, West Virginia, which is primarily focused on extension graduate programs....
, a postgraduate-only branch of Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
in South Charleston
South Charleston, West Virginia
South Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
. The region is also home to the Charleston Branch of the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing, an independent program administered by Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
; it provides access to computer numerical control (CNC) equipment for businesses in two states.
Located approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) from Charleston, West Virginia University Institute of Technology has its campus in Montgomery, West Virginia. West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology is a four-year college located in Montgomery, West Virginia, United States. It is the largest regional campus of West Virginia University and is separately accredited from the main campus of WVU in Morgantown...
is the largest regional campus of the University and focuses mainly on engineering programs.
Charleston is also home to West Virginia Junior College's Charleston campus. Located in downtown Charleston at 1000 Virginia Street, WV Junior College
WV Junior College
Part of the Kanawha valley for 115 years, WV Junior College was originally established as Capitol City Commercial College on September 1, 1892 to train students in secretarial and business skills and has undergone changes in location and curriculum through the years to keep up-to-date with the...
is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award diplomas and associate degrees. Part of the Kanawha Valley for almost 115 years, WV Junior College was originally established as Capitol City Commercial College on September 1, 1892. The College was originally established to train students in secretarial and business skills and has undergone changes in location and curriculum through the years.
Hospitals
CAMCCharleston Area Medical Center
Charleston Area Medical Center is the name of a complex of hospitals in Charleston, West Virginia, formed via a merger of previously independent facilities. It is the state's largest hospital....
(Charleston Area Medical Center) a complex of hospitals throughout the city.
- CAMC Memorial Hospital (located in the Kanawha City neighborhood)
- CAMC General Hospital (located in eastern downtown)
- CAMC Women and Children's Hospital (located on the banks of the Elk River in downtown)
Saint Francis Hospital (located in downtown)
Notable companies headquartered in the Charleston area
- Appalachian PowerAppalachian PowerAppalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
, owned by American Electric PowerAmerican Electric PowerAmerican Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...
http://aep.com of Columbus, OhioColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city... - Mountaineer Gas Companyhttp://www.mgcwv.com/
- City Holding Company (City National Bank)https://www.cityholding.com/hp_View.aspx
- Charleston Newspapers
- Charleston Stamping and Manufacturing
- MATRIC (Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research and Innovation Center) (South Charleston)
- Mountain Stage Radio Show http://www.mountainstage.org, produced by WV Public Broadcasting http://www.wvpucast.org.
- NiSource Gas Transmission & Storage Charleston, WV
- Tudor's Biscuit WorldTudor's Biscuit WorldTudor's Biscuit World is a restaurant chain based in Nitro, West Virginia, most commonly found in West Virginia. Many West Virginia locations share a building with Gino's Pizza and Spaghetti, although the chain is more extensive than Gino's , having locations in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky...
(Nitro) - United Bank of West Virginia, Inc.http://www.unitedbank-wv.com
- Walker Machinery located in Belle, WV
- West Virginia-American Water Company
- Frontier Communication-South East Regional Headquarters. www.frontier.com
Notable companies founded in Charleston
- Shoney'sShoney'sShoney’s is a privately held restaurant chain that operates primarily in the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It is named after Alex Schoenbaum, who was the owner of the original chain of Big Boy restaurants in the southeastern United States...
restaurants - Heck'sHeck's Department StoreHeck's Department Store was a chain of West Virginia based discount department stores owned by business entrepreneur Fred Haddad that existed in West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky until dissolved in September, 1990. It was founded by Fred Haddad in Charleston, West...
/ L.A. JoeL.A. Joe Department StoreL.A. Joe Department Store was a chain of Charleston, West Virginia based discount department stores that existed until June, 1992.-History:L.A. Joe was the retail brand name of Retail Acquisition Corporation which at its peak owned 70 discount department stores throughout West Virginia, Virginia,...
discount department stores
Annual events and fairs
Charleston is home to numerous annual events and fairs that take place throughout the city, from the banks of the Kanawha RiverKanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
to the capitol grounds.
The West Virginia Dance Festival, held between April 25 and 30, features dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
students from across the state that attend classes and workshops in ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and modern dance. At the finale, the students perform in the West Virginia State Theatre; these are free to the public.
Beginning in 1982, Symphony Sunday, held annually usually the first weekend in June, is a full day of music, food, and family fun, culminating in a free performance by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is a US orchestra that performs at the Clay Center in Charleston, West Virginia. The orchestra has played with such soloists as Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, Marilyn Horne, and Kathleen Battle...
and a fireworks display following. Throughout the day, local performing community dance and music ensembles present a series of their own selected pieces with the final performance being by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The local performing community dance and music ensembles that perform for Symphony Sunday include the Kanawha Valley Ringers, the West Virginia Kickers, the Charleston Metro Band, the West Virginia Youth Symphony, the Mountain State Brass Band, and the Kanawha Valley Community Band. The now defunct Charleston Neophonic Orchestra has also performed at the event. The event is held on the front lawn of the University of Charleston. The WVSO annually closes the event with the 1812 Overture
1812 Overture
The Year 1812, Festival Overture in E flat major, Op. 49, popularly known as the 1812 Overture or the Overture of 1812 is an overture written by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1880 to commemorate Russia's defense of Moscow against Napoleon's advancing Grande Armée at the Battle of...
followed by "The Stars and Stripes Forever" before the fireworks display.
Twice a year, in late April and again in early November, the West Virginia International Film Festival occurs, where many domestic and international films are shown that range from "full-length feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation and student films. It is the official state film festival.
At the end of September of each year, usually the last Tuesday of September, Charleston hosts the Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival
Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival
The Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival is an annual festival dedicated to high school bands and majorette corps in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The event is held at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field in Charleston, West Virginia at the end of September of...
for the eight public high schools in Kanawha County. The festival began in 1947 and has continued on as an annual tradition. The festival is held at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field in downtown Charleston. It is West Virginia's longest running music festival.
On the Saturday of Valentine's Day Weekend every year, residents gather together for the not-quite-a-5k Run 5k. The Run attracts those who aren't runners and the 5k features frequent stops for candy, conversation, ice cream, smoke breaks and general Grumbling about having to walk or jog for more than three miles. This is paired with an Anti / Pro Valentine's Day Party which is hosted annually in the evenings.
On May 6, the Kanawha Kordsmen Barbershop Chorus performs at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences. The 40-man a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
chorus performs music in a show titled "Songs America Sings." On Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend, the Vandalia Gathering is held on the grounds of the state capitol. Thousands of visitors each year enjoy traditional music, art, dance, stories, crafts and food that stems from the "uniqueness of West Virginia's mountain culture." There is no fee for admission.
Since 2005 FestivALL has provided the Charleston area with cultural and artistic events beginning on June 20 (West Virginia Day
West Virginia Day
West Virginia Day is a holiday celebrated every June 20 in the American state of West Virginia. The day celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the state as a result of the secession of several northwestern counties of Virginia during the height of the United States Civil War.-History:During...
) and including dance, theater, and music. FestivALL provides local artists a valuable chance to display their works and help get others interested in, and involved with, the local artistic community. Highlights include an art fair on Capitol Street and local bands playing live music at stages set up throughout downtown, as well as a wine and jazz festival on the campus of the University of Charleston
University of Charleston
The University of Charleston is a private university in Charleston, West Virginia, United States of over 1,300 students.-History:The school was founded in 1888 as the Barboursville Seminary of the Southern Methodist Church...
featuring local and nationally known jazz artists and showcasing the products of West Virginia vineyards.
The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, founded in 1970, is a former annual event that was held on Labor Day weekend of each year. The event had carnival style rides and attractions and live music from local and nationally known bands. It was held on the Kanawha Boulevard by Haddad Riverfront Park on the Kanawha River. The event started the Wednesday before Labor Day Weekend and ended the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend with a fireworks show on Sunday evening. Due to "political differences" between local sternwheel owners and factions of city government, sternwheel attendance declined in recent years. Once a promising regatta, rivaling Tall Stacks in Cincinnati, it was discontinued after the 2008 festival season. Charleston, home to the largest population of privately owned sternwheel vessels in the United States is the only city in the region not home to an annual river festival.
The 2008 World's Strongest Man Competition was hosted in Charleston, the hometown of Phil Pfister
Phil Pfister
Phil Pfister , is a leading American strongman competitor, winning the 2006 Met-Rx World's Strongest Man competition and its $41,000 grand prize on September 23, 2006 in Sanya, China. He is the first American to win since Bill Kazmaier in 1982...
, the champion of the 2006 games.
The Beach Sports Network, comprising The EVP Tour and Upstate Watercraft Promotions, produced the first annual "EVP Rocks the River" from July 31-August 2, 2009. This consisted of a Volleyball tournament along side world class Watercross.
Historical structures and museums
Charleston possesses a number of older buildings which represent a variety of historical architectural styles. About fifty places in CharlestonNational Register of Historic Places listings in Kanawha County, West Virginia
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Kanawha County, West Virginia.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States...
are included on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. A segment of the East End consisting of several blocks of both Virginia and Quarrier Streets, encompassing an area of nearly a full square mile, has been officially designated as a historical neighborhood. This residential neighborhood has many houses dating from the late 19th and early 20th century as well as a few art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style apartment buildings dating from the 1920s and early 30s.
Downtown Charleston is home to several commercial buildings that are between 80 to 115 years old, including such notable structures as the Security Building (corner of Virginia and Capitol Street), 401 Capitol Street (the former Daniel Boone Hotel), the Union Building (at the southern end of Capitol Street), the Kanawha County Courthouse, the Public Library (corner of Capitol and Quarrier Streets) and the Masonic Temple (corner of Virginia and Dickenson Street).
Also of note are several historic churches grouped closely together in a neighborhood just to the east of downtown; Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Charleston, West Virginia)
The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a cathedral church and a Minor Basilica located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling it is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.-Sacred Heart Parish:The first...
(one of the two cathedrals of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate...
), First Presbyterian Church, Kanawha United Presbyterian Church, St. John's Episcopal Church, Charleston Baptist Temple, St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Christ Church United Methodist.
Additional historic buildings can be found throughout the city, particularly in the broader East End, the West Side and Kanawha City. Some of these buildings include:
- Avampato Discovery Museum — (Part of the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences.)
- Sunrise Museum — (Now part of the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences.)
- West Virginia State Museum
- South Charleston Museum — (Located in South CharlestonSouth Charleston, West VirginiaSouth Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
.) - St. George Orthodox Cathedral, founded in 1892.
- St. Marks United Methodist Church
- The Capitol Theater
- Woman's Club of Charleston
Parks and outdoor attractions
- University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field — Used for football, soccer, track, and festivals
- Appalachian Power ParkAppalachian Power ParkAppalachian Power Park is the current home field for the West Virginia Power, a minor league baseball team in the South Atlantic League which are a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It also serves as one of two home fields for the baseball programs of both Marshall University and the...
— Stadium of the West Virginia Power - Cato Park — Charleston's largest municipal park, including a golf course, Olympic-size swimming pool and picnic areas
- Coonskin Park — Includes swimming pool, boathouse, clubhouse with dining facilities, tennis courts, putt putt golf, an 18-hole par 3 golf course and fishing lake. Schoenbaum Soccer Field and Amphitheatre inside the park is the home of the West Virginia ChaosWest Virginia ChaosWest Virginia Chaos is an American soccer team based in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
soccer team - Daniel Boone Park — A 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) park with a boat ramp, fishing and picnic facilities
- Danner Meadow Park
- Kanawha State ForestKanawha State ForestKanawha State Forest is a recreation area located near the community of Loudendale, West Virginia, which is about from downtown Charleston, West Virginia, United States...
— (A 9300 acres (38 km²) forest, including 46 campsites (located in the community of Loudendale)) - Little Creek Park — Used for soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, tennis, disc golf and soapbox derbies. Picnic facilities are also available.
- Magic IslandMagic Island (West Virginia)Magic Island is an island in the Kanawha River near its confluence with the Elk River in Charleston, West Virginia. Kanawha Boulevard separates Magic Island from Charleston's West Side neighborhood...
— An area located at the junction of the Elk River and the Kanawha River, near Kanawha Boulevard. - Davis Park
- Haddad Riverfront Park
- Ruffner Park
- Shawnee Park
Sports
West Virginia Power
This article is about the baseball team, for the electric utility serving southeast West Virginia from 1986-99, see Allegheny Energy.The West Virginia Power is a minor league baseball team of the South Atlantic League, and is the Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in...
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
Appalachian Power Park
Appalachian Power Park is the current home field for the West Virginia Power, a minor league baseball team in the South Atlantic League which are a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It also serves as one of two home fields for the baseball programs of both Marshall University and the...
West Virginia Chaos
West Virginia Chaos is an American soccer team based in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
Women's American football
Women have begun playing full-contact American football. Most leagues play by the same rules as their male counterparts, with one exception: women's leagues use a slightly smaller football. Women primarily play on a semi-professional or amateur level in the United States...
Women's Spring Football League
The Women's Spring Football League is a full contact Women's American football league which began play in 2010. Five teams played the WSFL's 2010 exhibition schedule, with twelve more joining for their first full season in 2011, and five more for 2012. Three of the league's original 5 have since...
Shopping
Currently there is only one shopping mall in the city of Charleston, the Charleston Town CenterCharleston Town Center
Charleston Town Center is an enclosed shopping mall in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, USA. One of the largest enclosed malls to be located in a downtown shopping district, it comprises more than 150+ tenants on two levels, as well as a food court on a partial third level. Anchor stores...
. Opened in 1983, the Town Center Mall is a three-story shopping and dining facility, with 130 specialty stores. Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
and J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
are the mall's current anchor stores. The fourth anchor pad is occupied by the headquarters for BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Co., the private West Virginia–based workers' compensation carrier. There are also six major restaurants located on street level and 12 fast food restaurants representing the food court, located on the third floor of the mall.
There are four major shopping plazas located in Charleston, one in the Kanawha City neighborhood - The Shops at Kanawha - and three in the Southridge area, divided between Charleston and South Charleston
South Charleston, West Virginia
South Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
— Southridge Centre, Dudley Farms Plaza, and The Shops at Trace Fork.
Major stores:
The Shops at Kanawha plaza, formerly The Kanawha Mall, includes Elder-Beerman
Elder-Beerman
Elder-Beerman is a U.S. chain of department stores founded in 1883 and owned by The Bon-Ton. The chain is based primarily in the United States' Midwest region...
and Gabriel Brothers
Gabriel Brothers
Gabriel Brothers, commonly called Gabe's is an American regional chain of closeout retail stores that originated in Uniontown, Pennsylvania selling brand-name merchandise at significant discounts from typical department stores...
as its anchor stores, with the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Customer Service Center as the only remaining tenant in the indoor mall section of the facility. Lowes and Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
, while not attached to the plaza, are also an integral part of the area. Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, Applebees, Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Arbys, Captain Dee's, and Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969 and its first store was located in Lebanon, Tennessee, where the company is now headquartered...
restaurants, as well as two bank branches and several local restaurants, round out the area.
Southridge Centre plaza includes Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Staples, Toys "R" Us, Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine, and other outdoor recreation products and services...
, Ashley Home Furnishings, and Sam's Club
Sam's Club
Sam's Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., founded in 1983 and named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. , the Sam's Club chain serves more than 47 million U.S. members...
. Southridge is also home to Olive Garden
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is an American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. Olive Garden operates more than 730 locations globally.- History :The...
, Red Lobster
Red Lobster
Red Lobster is a U.S. chain of seafood restaurants. It also operates in Canada, the UAE and Japan . It is aimed at the mid-level "casual dining" segment of the market...
, Chucky Cheese, Quaker Steak & Lube
Quaker Steak & Lube
Quaker Steak & Lube is a casual dining restaurant chain based in Sharon, Pennsylvania. The original restaurant was built in 1974 by George "Jig" Warren and Gary "Mo" Meszaros in an abandoned gas station in downtown Sharon, and decorated with license plates and old automobiles...
, Wendy's
Wendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Longhorn Steak House, and several other restaurants, along with two bank branches, Marquee Cinemas
Marquee Cinemas
Marquee Cinemas is a chain of movie theaters operated out of Beckley, West Virginia since its 1979 inception.Currently, the chain consists of nineteen theaters in the following locations....
, the regional jail, and a US Postal Service regional facility.
Dudley Farms Plaza includes Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
, Office Max, Radio Shack
Radio shack
Radio shack is a slang term for a room or structure for housing radio equipment.-History:In the early days of radio, equipment was experimental and home-built. The first radio transmitters used a noisy spark to generate radio waves and were often housed in a garage or shed. When radio was first...
, Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million, Inc., also known as BAM!, is a company that owns the second largest U.S. bookstore chain and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The company operates over 200 stores in the South, Midwest, Northeast...
, and Michaels
Michaels
Michaels is an arts and crafts retail chain. It currently operates more than 1040 Michaels Arts and Crafts Stores located in 49 U.S. states and in Canada. The company owns and operates the Aaron Brothers retail chain which consists of more than 140 stores...
. Logan's Roadhouse
Logan's Roadhouse
Logan's Roadhouse is a chain of restaurants that was founded in 1991 in Lexington, Kentucky, and in 1999 became a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly held CBRL Group, Inc...
is the only restaurant that is part of the plaza itself.
The Shops at Trace Fork plaza includes Marshall's, Men's Wearhouse
Men's Wearhouse
Men's Wearhouse is a men's dress apparel retailer in the United States. The company is based in the Westchase area of Houston, Texas, and it is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange...
, PetSmart
PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is a retail chain doing business in the United States and Canada engaged in the sale of specialty pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training, PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities and Doggie Day Care.- History :...
, Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. , or Dick's, is a Fortune 500 American corporation in the sporting goods and retail industries.The company's headquarters are on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick's has 451 stores in 42 states as of...
, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Lowe's
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, Dress Barn, and Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports Inc. is a Fort Worth, Texas based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor, particularly furniture, table-top items, decorative accessories and seasonal decor. The chain operates over 1,000 stores under the name Pier 1 Imports in the United States, Canada, Mexico...
.
Notable residents
- Actress Jean CarsonJean CarsonJean Carson was an American stage, film and television actress best known for her work on the classic 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show as one of the "fun girls".-Biography:Born to Alexander W...
- Cisco SystemsCisco SystemsCisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
CEOChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
John ChambersJohn Chambers (CEO)John T. Chambers is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Cisco Systems, Inc. Chambers joined Cisco in 1991 as senior vice president, Worldwide Sales and Operations. Since January 1995, when he assumed the role of CEO, the company has grown from $1.2 billion in annual revenues to its current run-rate... - Author Clara Chandler graduated from Stonewall Jackson HS and is a fifth generation West Sider.
- Actress Conchata FerrellConchata FerrellConchata Galen Ferrell is an American actress. She is best known for playing Berta the housekeeper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, for which she received two Emmy Award nominations in 2005 and 2007.-Personal life:...
- Chemist Basudeb DasSarmaBasudeb DasSarmaBasudeb DasSarma was a chemist and faculty at the University College of Science and Technology of Calcutta University. He was among an early group of Indian scholars and professionals to emigrate to the US . He did groundbreaking research with John C. Bailar, Jr...
- Classical composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
George CrumbGeorge CrumbGeorge Crumb is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He is noted as an explorer of unusual timbres, alternative forms of notation, and extended instrumental and vocal techniques. Examples include seagull effect for the cello , metallic vibrato for the piano George Crumb (born...
was born in Charleston. - Alias star Jennifer GarnerJennifer GarnerJennifer Anne Affleck , better known as Jennifer Garner, is an American actress and film producer. Garner gained recognition on television for her performance as CIA agent Sydney Bristow in the thriller drama series Alias, which aired on ABC for five seasons from 2001 to 2006...
was born in Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, but moved with her family to Princeton, West VirginiaPrinceton, West VirginiaPrinceton is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 111,586. It is the county seat of Mercer County...
, then Charleston as a young child and grew up there, graduating from the city's George Washington High School. - TelevangelistTelevangelismTelevangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
T. D. JakesT. D. JakesThomas Dexter "T. D." Jakes Sr. is the chief pastor of The Potter's House, a non-denominational American megachurch, with 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas.T.D...
was born and raised in the adjacent city of South CharlestonSouth Charleston, West VirginiaSouth Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, U.S. The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature...
. His ministry was based in the suburban community of Cross LanesCross Lanes, West VirginiaCross Lanes is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,995.-Geography:...
before he moved to DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
in 1996. - Soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
actress Lesli KayLesli KayLesli Kay Coulouris previously Lesli Kay Sterling is an American actress, who is known primarily for her role on the CBS soap As the World Turns.-Career:...
who has appeared on As the World TurnsAs the World TurnsAs the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
and The Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
. - MMAMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter Brian Bowles, former WEC Bantamweight Champion. - Former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player and current sportscaster John KrukJohn KrukJohn Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
was born in Charleston, but grew up in KeyserKeyser, West VirginiaKeyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
in the state's Eastern PanhandleEastern Panhandle of West VirginiaThe Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia is a narrow stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, bordering Maryland and Virginia, United States. The Eastern Panhandle Board of Realtors and other local civic organizations consider only the three Easternmost counties, Jefferson, Berkeley and...
. - Extreme metalExtreme metalExtreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band ByzantineByzantine (band)Byzantine is a heavy metal band from Charleston, West Virginia that formed in 2000. The band consists of frontman and co-founder Chris "OJ" Ojeda , Brian Henderson , Matt Wolfe and Michael "Skip" Cromer . They have released three studio albums on Prosthetic Records...
formed and still based in Charleston. - Professional wrestler Kevin CanadyKevin CanadyKevin Canady , better known by his ring name Mad Man Pondo, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style. Canady has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Combat Zone Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling,...
, also known as Mad Man Pondo, resides in Charleston. He is the founder of IWA East Coast, a hardcore wrestlingHardcore wrestlingHardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
promotion. - Actress Allison HayesAllison HayesAllison Hayes was an American film and television actress and model.-Early life:Born Mary Jane Hayes in Charleston, West Virginia, Hayes won the title of Miss District of Columbia and represented Washington, DC in the 1949 Miss America pageant...
- Actress Ann MagnusonAnn MagnusonAnn Magnuson is an American actress, performance artist, and nightclub performer who first gained prominence in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan...
- CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Kathy MatteaKathy MatteaKathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
was born in South Charleston to parents who lived in Cross Lanes. She lived in Cross Lanes throughout her childhood, graduating from NitroNitro, West VirginiaNitro is a city in West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. Most of the city lies in Kanawha County, with the remainder in Putnam County. The population was 7,178 at the 2010 census.Nitro was incorporated in 1932 by Circuit Court.- City name origin :...
High School. - NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
Jon McBrideJon McBrideJon Andrew McBride is retired United States naval officer and a former NASA astronaut.-Biography:Jon McBride was born August 14, 1943, in Charleston, West Virginia, but considers Beckley, West Virginia, to be his hometown...
was born in Charleston. - Would-be presidential assassin Sara Jane MooreSara Jane MooreSara Jane Moore attempted to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford on September 22, 1975, outside the St...
was born in Charleston. - National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player Randy MossRandy MossRandy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
grew up in Rand, adjacent to Malden, graduating from DuPont High School, which is now Dupont Middle School. - ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Leslie NielsenLeslie NielsenLeslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
was an honorary citizen of West Virginia, and frequented the Charleston metropolitan area. - National Football League player Rick NuzumRick NuzumRick Nuzum is a former center in the National Football League. He first played with the Los Angeles Rams during the 1977 NFL season. The following season he played with the Green Bay Packers.-References:...
was born in Charleston. - Creator of Droodles and television personality Roger PriceRoger Price (comedy)Roger Price was an American humorist, author and publisher, who created Droodles in the 1950s, followed by his collaborations with Leonard Stern on the Mad Libs series...
. - Civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist Rev. Leon SullivanLeon SullivanLeon Howard Sullivan was a Baptist minister, a civil rights leader and social activist focusing on the creation of job training opportunities for African-Americans, a longtime General Motors Board Member, and an anti-Apartheid activist. Sullivan died on April 24, 2001, of leukemia at a Scottsdale,...
was born in Charleston. - For a time, Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. WashingtonBooker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
, the writer, educator, and early civil rights leader, lived in Malden, just upriver from Charleston. - Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
NBA superstar in Chelyan. - Tennis player Anne WhiteAnne WhiteAnne White is a former professional United States tennis player from Charleston, West Virginia. She is most famous for wearing a white body suit at Wimbledon in 1985.-Early life:White attended John Adams Junior High School...
attended John Adams Junior High School and graduated from George Washington High School. - Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
point guardPoint guardPoint guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Jason Williams, who grew up in BelleBelle, West VirginiaBelle is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 1,259 at the 2000 census. Belle was incorporated on December 13, 1958 by the Kanawha County Circuit Court...
in the same vicinity, was a high-school teammate of Moss. - William Frischkorn a cyclist that competed in the Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. - Phil PfisterPhil PfisterPhil Pfister , is a leading American strongman competitor, winning the 2006 Met-Rx World's Strongest Man competition and its $41,000 grand prize on September 23, 2006 in Sanya, China. He is the first American to win since Bill Kazmaier in 1982...
, an international winner of the strongest man competition, is a full time firefighter for the CFD. - H. Rodgin CohenH. Rodgin CohenHenry Rodgin Cohen is a prominent corporate lawyer whose practice focuses on commercial banking and financial institutions. Following graduation from Harvard College , Harvard Law School and two years in the U.S. Army, Cohen joined Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in 1970. Cohen served as Sullivan &...
, one of the country's leading legal experts on banking and chairman of Sullivan & CromwellSullivan & CromwellSullivan & Cromwell LLP is an international law firm headquartered in New York. The firm has approximately 800 lawyers in 12 offices, located in financial centers in the United States, Asia, Australia and Europe. Sullivan & Cromwell was founded by Algernon Sydney Sullivan and William Nelson...
LLP, was born and raised in Charleston. - Pop singer Caroline PeytonCaroline PeytonCaroline Peyton is an American singer and songwriter. Peyton was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi on Oct. 8, 1951 and grew up in Charleston, West Virginia. Her father, Thomas Peyton, is from Virginia and her mother, the former Joan Johnson, is a native of Mississippi. Peyton grew up with three...
grew up in Charleston. - Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster (Florida politician)Daniel A. "Dan" Webster is the Republican U.S. Representative for central , serving since January 3, 2011. He defeated the incumbent Democrat, Alan Grayson, by an 18 percent margin in the November 2010 election. Previously, Webster served 28 years in the Florida state legislature...
, the longest serving Florida legislatorFlorida LegislatureThe Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
, was born in Charleston.
Movies
- Chillers (1987) — Troma Films, Directed by Daniel Boyd
- Correct Change (2001) — Down Home Films and Terra Entertainment, Directed by Mike Lilly
- Unexpected Aphrodisiacs (2001 short) — Screw Continuity Productions, Directed by Nichole Pridemore, Marlette Carter, Sam Holdren
- Hurt (2006) — Sorry Dog Films, Directed by Scott A. Martin
- The Nutz (2007 short) — Pewter Productions, Directed by Jason Brown
- AuditionAudition (2007 short film)Audition is an award-winning short film directed by Sam Holdren, first released to festivals in 2007. The film is a tragic comedy about William Ashe, a grown man who still lives at home with mother and strongly believes in signs...
(2007 short) — The Production Company, Directed by Sam Holdren
Television shows
- Mountain StageMountain StageMountain Stage is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by WV Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio and the Voice of America's satellite radio service. Hosted by Larry Groce, the program showcases diverse music, from the traditional to modern...
(2001–present) - World's Strongest Man Competition (2008, 2010)
Charleston Daily Mail
The Charleston Daily Mail is a Pulitzer Prize winning Monday-Friday morning newspaper in Charleston, West Virginia.-Publishing History:The Daily Mail was founded in 1914 by former Alaska Gov. Walter Eli Clark and remained the property of his heirs until 1987. Governor Clark described the newspaper...
is published on mornings Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the Charleston Gazette and the Daily Mail combine to produce a newspaper titled the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
Radio
Charleston has a total of 11 radio stations (AM and FM) licensed in the city. Most of the stations are either owned by West Virginia Radio CorporationWest Virginia Radio Corporation
West Virginia Radio Corporation or WVRC is a media corporation comprising exclusively radio stations and two radio networks based in the state of West Virginia.The company is controlled by Greer Industries, and the Greer Family.-Radio markets:...
or Bristol Broadcasting Company
Bristol Broadcasting Company
"Bristol Broadcasting Company" is a radio station chain operating 21 stations in three Southern United States markets: the Tri-Cities area of upper-east Tennessee and southwest Virginia ; Paducah, Kentucky; and Charleston, West Virginia.In each market it operates a country music station with a rabbit...
.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Call sign !! Frequency !! Format !! Description / Notes
|-
| WVPN
WVPN
WVPN is the flagship radio station of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. It broadcasts a public radio format. It is licensed to Charleston, West Virginia. The station is currently owned by West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority....
*
| 88.5 FM
| Public Radio http://wvpubcast.org/
| NPR News, Classical Music, Mountain Stage, and other local and national programs.
|-
| KLOVE
| 93.3 FM
| Religious
|-
| WXAF
WXAF-FM
WXAF is a religious-formatted radio station serving the Charleston, West Virginia metropolitan area. The station has an effective radiated power of 800 watts. The station is simulcasting the programming of WJJJ of Beckley, West Virginia, which consists of Christian music...
*
| 90.9 FM
| Religious
|
|-
| WZAC
WZAC-FM
WZAC-FM is a radio station licensed to Danville, West Virginia, and located in Boone County, West Virginia. Danville is located about 25 miles southwest of Charleston, West Virginia.-Programming:...
| 92.5 FM
| Classic Country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
|-
| WVTS
| 94.5 FM
| News
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/ Talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
http://www.wvtsam950.com/newdesign
| Supertalk 94.5
|-
| WKWS
WKWS-FM
WKWS is a Country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, serving the Charleston/Huntington area. WKWS is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation.-External links:*...
*
| 96.1 FM
| Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
http://www.961thewolf.com
| 96.1 The Wolf. The station plays mostly country music, but also has a mix of Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
.
|-
| WQBE
WQBE-FM
WQBE-FM is one of two Charleston, West Virginia Country FM radio stations. WQBE is owned by Bristol Broadcasting Company of Bristol, Virginia, with a "twin" radio station WXBQ-FM in that area. WQBE also has another "twin" station WKYQ-FM in Paducah, Kentucky, also owned by Bristol Broadcasting....
*
| 97.5 FM
| Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
http://www.wqbe.com
| 97.5 WQBE. The Charleston MSA
Charleston WV metropolitan area
The Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in West Virginia, anchored by the city of Charleston. It is the largest metropolitan area in the state of West Virginia...
's #1 rated radio station, according to Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
.
|-
| WRVZ
WRVZ-FM
WRVZ is a Rhythmic Top 40 formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Pocatalico, West Virginia and serving the Charleston area.WRVZ also has a translator at 104.5 FM with 210 watts of Effective Radiated Power.-History:...
| 98.7 FM
| Rhythmic Top 40 http://www.987thebeat.com
| 98.7 The Beat. Despite the station's low ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
, it still competes well with Electric 102.7.
|-
| WVAF
WVAF-FM
WVAF is the only AC station in the Charleston, West Virginia market area. The station broadcasts at 99.9 MHz with an ERP of 24,500 watts. WVAF is ranked 3rd in the Arbitron ratings for the Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area market. The station is owned by the West Virginia Radio Corporation....
*
| 99.9 FM
| Adult Contemporary http://www.v100.fm
| V-100
|-
| WMXE
WMXE-FM
WMXE is a Classic Hits formatted broadcast radio station licensed to South Charleston, West Virginia, serving Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia. WMXE is owned and operated by L.M. Communications, Inc....
| 100.9 FM
| Classic Hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
http://www.wmxe.net
| 100.9 The Mix
|-
| WVSR
WVSR-FM
WVSR-FM/Electric 102.7 is a Top 40 radio station serving the Charleston, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area with an ERP of 50,000 watts. The station started out as a Top 40 station until 2004, when the station went with a Hot AC format, but due to lower ratings, the station went back to...
*
| 102.7 FM
| Top 40 http://www.electric102.com
| Electric 102.7
|-
| WKLC
WKLC-FM
WKLC-FM is an Mainstream Rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to St. Albans, West Virginia, serving the Charleston/Huntington area. WKLC-FM is owned and operated by L.M. Communications, Inc.-External links:*...
| 105.1 FM
| Rock http://www.wklc.com
| Rock 105
|-luke eddy
| WAMX
| 106.3 FM
| Rock http://www.x1063.com
| X 106.3
|-
| WKAZ
WKAZ-FM
WKAZ-FM is a classic rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Miami, West Virginia, serving Metro Charleston. WKAZ-FM is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation. WKAZ broadcasts in HD Radio.-History:...
| 107.3 FM
| Classic Rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
http://www.1073krock.com
| 107.3 K-Rock
|-
| WCHS
WCHS (AM)
WCHS is a News/Talk/Sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, serving the Kanawha Valley. WCHS is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation.-Programming:...
*
| 580 AM
| News
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/ Talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
http://www.58wchs.com
| 58 WCHS
|-
| WKAZ
WKAZ (AM)
WKAZ is an oldies formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, serving Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia. WKAZ is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation.-History:...
*
| 680 AM
| Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
| The Oldies format was formerly on 107.3
WKAZ-FM
WKAZ-FM is a classic rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Miami, West Virginia, serving Metro Charleston. WKAZ-FM is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation. WKAZ broadcasts in HD Radio.-History:...
.
|-
| WVTS*
| 950 AM
| News
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/ Talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
http://www.WVTSAM950.com
| Supertalk 950
|-
| WSWW*
| 1490 AM
| Sports
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
| ESPN 1490
|}
Television
The Charleston–Huntington TV market, is the second largest television market (in terms of area) east of the Mississippi River, serving counties in central West Virginia, eastern KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and southern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. There are four VHF and ten UHF
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
television stations in the market, even though some of the stations broadcast from Ohio and Kentucky.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Call sign !! Channel !! Description
|-
| width="15%" | WSAZ
| width="15%" | 3
| width="70%" | Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
(NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
)/(MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
on DT2)
|-
| WCHS-TV
WCHS-TV
WCHS-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia. This area is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River and consists of 61 counties in Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southern Ohio...
| 8
| Charleston (ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
)
|-
| WVAH
| 11
| Teays Valley
Teays Valley, West Virginia
Teays Valley is a census-designated place in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. The place is divided into the two districts of Teays Valley and Scott Depot...
(Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
)
|-
| WOWK
| 13
| Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
(CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
)
|-
| WOUB
WOUB-TV
WOUB-TV channel 20 is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. WOUB-TV's programming can be seen in southeastern Ohio on digital channel 27...
| 20
| Athens, Ohio
Athens, Ohio
Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
(PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
)
|-
| WOCW-LP
WQCW
WQCW is the CW affiliate for the Huntington/Charleston, West Virginia television market. It is licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio and is the one of two commercial stations in the market licensed outside of West Virginia. Its transmitter is located in West Portsmouth, Ohio...
| 21
| Charleston (The CW)
|-
| WKPI
| 22
| Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville is a city in Pike County, Kentucky. The population was 6,903 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.-History:On March 25, 1822, the county's government officials decided to build a new county seat named Liberty, one and one-half mile below the mouth of the Russell Fork...
(PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
/ KET
Ket
Ket can also refer to:*Ket people, a people of Siberia*Ket language, the language of the Ket people*Ket River, a river in Siberia*Keť, a village in south-west Slovakia...
)
|-
| WKAS
| 25
| Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
(PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
/ KET
Ket
Ket can also refer to:*Ket people, a people of Siberia*Ket language, the language of the Ket people*Ket River, a river in Siberia*Keť, a village in south-west Slovakia...
)
|-
| WLPX
| 29
| Hurricane
Hurricane, West Virginia
Hurricane is a city in Putnam County, West Virginia, in the United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census.-History:Hurricane was named after Hurricane Creek, which was, in turn, named after a group of trees at the mouth of the river bent in one direction...
(ION)
|-
| WQCW
WQCW
WQCW is the CW affiliate for the Huntington/Charleston, West Virginia television market. It is licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio and is the one of two commercial stations in the market licensed outside of West Virginia. Its transmitter is located in West Portsmouth, Ohio...
| 30
| Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
(The CW)
|-
| WPBY
| 33
| Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
(PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
)
|-
| WPBO
| 42
| Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
(PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
)
|-
| WVCW-LP
WQCW
WQCW is the CW affiliate for the Huntington/Charleston, West Virginia television market. It is licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio and is the one of two commercial stations in the market licensed outside of West Virginia. Its transmitter is located in West Portsmouth, Ohio...
| 45
| Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
(The CW)
|-
| WYMT
| 57
| Hazard, Kentucky
Hazard, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,806 people, 1,946 households, and 1,266 families residing in the city. The population density was 684.6 people per square mile . There were 2,291 housing units at an average density of 326.4 per square mile...
(CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
)
|-
| WTSF
WTSF
WTSF is a charismatic Christian television station in the Huntington-Charleston, West Virginia market, which covers parts of that state, eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio. It operates on digital channel 44...
| 61
| Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
(Daystar
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
)
|}
Tallest buildings
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Tallest buildings
|-
! Name
! Stories
! Height
|-
| West Virginia State Capitol
West Virginia State Capitol
The West Virginia State Capitol is the seat of government for the state of West Virginia, and houses the West Virginia Legislature and the office of the Governor of West Virginia. Located in Charleston, West Virginia, the building was dedicated in 1932...
|| 30 || 292 ft (89 m)
|-
| Kanawha Valley Building || 22 || 265 ft (81 m)
|-
| Laidley Tower
Laidley Tower
Laidley Tower is located at 500 Lee Street East in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. The job of designing the building was given to the award winning firm Sherman, Carter, Barnhart Architects. Tower construction began in 1984 and was finished the next year. At 22 stories high, it is one of the...
|| 18 (22 total) || 256 ft (78 m)
|-
| BB&T Square || 18 || 250 ft (76.2 m)
|-
| Bank One Center || 20 || 230 ft (70 m)
|-
| Huntington Square || 17 || 207 ft (63.1 m)
|-
| Dow
Dow
-People:*Herbert Henry Dow , founder of Dow Chemical Company*Charles Dow , founder of Dow Jones & Co*James R. Dow, professor of German language*Paula Dow , 58th Attorney General of New Jersey*Neal S...
Chemical Building || 14 || 206 ft. (63 m)
|-
| United Center || 12 || 205 ft (62.5 m)
|-
| Columbia Gas Transmission Building ( Tower 2 ) || 13 || 200 ft (61 m)
|-
| AT&T Building || 15 || 195 ft (60 m)
|-
| Imperial Tower || 19 || 191 ft (58 m)
|-
| City Center West || 13 || 186 ft (57 m)
|-
| Union Building || 14 || 183 ft (56 m)
|-
| Columbia Gas Transmission Building ( Tower 1 ) || 12 || 177 ft (54 m)
|-
| Charleston Marriott Town Center || 16 || 175 ft (53.3 m)
|-
| 405 Capitol Street Building || 12 || 136 ft (41 m)
|-
| Carroll Terrace || 13 || ? ft (? m)
|-
| Holiday Inn Charleston House || 12 || ? ft (? m)
|-
| Boulevard Tower || 12 || ? ft (? m)
|-
| Jarrett Terrace || 12 || ? ft (? m)
|-
| Security Building || 11 || ? ft (? m)
|-
|}
Airports
Yeager AirportYeager Airport
Yeager Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Charleston, a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is owned by the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority...
is West Virginia's largest airport. It is located 2 miles (3 km) north of Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
and Interstate 77
Interstate 77
Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...
, accessible via WV 114.
Rail
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail service, provides tri-weekly service to Charleston via the Cardinal routes. The Amtrak station is on the south side of the Kanawha River, at 350 MacCorkle Avenue near downtown.
River
Elk River (West Virginia)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, long, in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.-Course:...
flows into the Kanawha River in downtown Charleston.
Roads
Charleston is served by Interstate 64Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
, Interstate 77
Interstate 77
Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...
, and Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
. The West Virginia Turnpike
West Virginia Turnpike
The West Virginia Turnpike is a toll road in the US state of West Virginia. It is also signed as Interstate 77 for its entire length as well as Interstate 64 from Charleston to just south of Beckley. From Beckley, the road extends south to Princeton...
's northern terminus is at the southeastern end of the city. Two U.S. routes, US 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
, and US 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
, cut through the city center. US 21
U.S. Route 21
U.S. Route 21 is a north–south United States highway of , from Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina to Wytheville, Virginia.-South Carolina:...
formerly ran through Charleston.
WV 25, WV 61, WV 62, and WV 114 are all state highways that are within Charleston's city limits.
Utilities
- Electricity in Charleston is provided by Appalachian PowerAppalachian PowerAppalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
, a division of American Electric PowerAmerican Electric PowerAmerican Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...
of Columbus, OhioColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Appalachian Power is headquartered in Charleston. - Suddenlink CommunicationsSuddenlink CommunicationsSuddenlink Communications, formerly Cebridge Connections, is a top-10 cable broadband services provider in the United States with approximately 1.4 million subscribers. Suddenlink operates in 18 states in primarily medium-sized communities. With its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, MO,...
provides the Charleston area's Cable TV. - Landline phone service in Charleston is provided by Frontier Communications.
- The city's water supply is provided by Charleston-based West Virginia American Water, a subsidiary of American Water of Voorhees, NJ. The water that supplies Charleston is pumped from the Elk River and treated at the Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant.
- Charleston's natural gas is supplied by Mountaineer Gas, a division of Allegheny EnergyAllegheny EnergyAllegheny Energy is an electric utility headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It owns and operates electric generation facilities and delivers electric services to customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia...
of Greensburg, PennsylvaniaGreensburg, PennsylvaniaGreensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
.
See also
- General Frank M. CoxeGeneral Frank M. Coxe (ship)The General Frank M. Coxe is a steam ferry which was built for the United States Army to provide transportation services among several military facilities which ring California's San Francisco Bay....
was built in Charleston in 1922 by the Charles Ward Engineering Works. She served as an Army transport and later a cruise ship on San Francisco Bay. She is now preserved as a floating restaurant in Burlingame, CaliforniaBurlingame, CaliforniaBurlingame is a city in San Mateo County, California. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame. It is renowned for its many surviving examples of Victorian architecture, its affluence, and...
, just south of San Francisco.
External links
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