Charleston, WV City Description
Charleston, the capital of West Virginia, houses the West Virginia Legislature, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, and most West Virginia administrative agencies. Charleston has a population of approximately 51,000, while more than 200,000 reside in the greater metropolitan area. Yeager Airport, Amtrak rail service, and the interstate highway system provide easy access to all points north, south, east, and west. Charleston is located on the Kanawha River, approximately 50 miles east of Huntington and the Ohio River Valley. Charleston and Huntington combine to form the largest metropolitan area in the State.
The downtown area of Charleston has experienced rapid growth and development. Downtown Charleston offers a variety of dining venues, parks and plazas, featuring brick sidewalks and street lights that harken back to earlier times. The surrounding area boasts numerous shopping opportunities, ranging from modern malls to small antique shops. The area enjoys a strong economy, supported by extensive chemical, manufacturing, and service industries.
Charleston offers a wide variety of entertainment. Residents and visitors enjoy performances by the widely-renowned West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Charleston Ballet, the Charleston Light Opera Guild, a theater company known as The Kanawha Players, and a children’s theater guild. Mountain Stage, an internationally famous live presentation of ecclectic music, broadcasts from the State Cultural Center every weekend, and the Charleston Jazz Series presents five live performances by world class jazz musicians each year. The Charleston Civic Center, a modern multi-purpose facility, hosts frequent athletic events, conventions, theatrical productions, concerts, and other activities.
The Haddad Riverfront Park (which includes an amphitheater), is located on the north shore of the Kanawha River. The federal judicial building features a state of the art computerized courtroom. The Capitol Market, a renovated farmer’s market operates throughout the summer featuring fresh fruits and vegetables, plants, flowers and shrubs, and a consignment market of West Virginia-made foods and products. The east end, an area filled with beautiful turn-of-the-century houses, is home to the Clay Center for Arts and Sciences. The Center is home to the West Virginia Symphony and the Sunrise Museum and its vastly expanded art galleries and science programs. Steptoe & Johnson supported this project when it was built and sponsors annual live performances of the Nutcracker featuring the West Virginia Symphony and The Charleston Ballet.
The region contains several museums including the Huntington Galleries, the West Virginia State Cultural Center, and Tu-Endi-Wei in Point Pleasant, the site of the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Rich in history, the area boasts various early settlements and several Civil War landmarks.
Charleston and south central West Virginia provide numerous recreational facilities including public and private tennis courts and golf courses. Boating, fishing, camping, hiking, snow skiing, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities occur in a variety of nearby State parks. The New River Gorge Park is the site of the longest single-span bridge in the country and is home to the famous Bridge Day Celebration. Bridge Day festivities center around the sport of base jumping and showcase local food vendors, as well as arts and crafts native to the area. The nearby Gauley River provides some of the nation’s best white water rafting and rock climbing. The Kanawha State Forest, which borders Charleston to the south, is a great place to hike, camp, picnic, and offers many challenging mountain bike trails. The Charleston and Kanawha County parks and recreation organizations provide basketball, softball, and soccer leagues.
The city is also the home of the West Virginia Power, a minor league professional baseball team currently affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers. Tri-State Park, a greyhound racing track, is located just outside the city limits. The firm participates in the annual YMCA Corporate Cup sporting activities with other local businesses.
In August of each year, the Charleston streets come alive with the nationally-recognized Regatta Festival. Originally a weekend festival centering around the exciting stern wheel races, the Regatta Festival has expanded to a multi-day extravaganza. In addition to the traditional boat races, the Festival presents nightly concerts which attract the brightest stars of the music world.
The Charleston area provides a wide variety of higher educational facilities. The West Virginia Graduate College of Marshall University, West Virginia State University, and the University of Charleston are all located in the area.
The ideal size of Charleston permits its residents to become involved in a large number of community activities and organizations, while still providing a stimulating environment.