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West Virginia: The Mountain State

State Day: June 20th. West Virginia was proclaimed a state in 1863. "West Virginia Day" became a legal holiday by Chapter 59, Acts of the Legislature, Regular Session, 1927.

Geology:

Economy:

Flag: A white field is bordered in dark blue. West Virginia's flag displays a rock containing the date June 20, 1863, the day West Virginia became a state. The two men represent farming and mining. Below them are two rifles with a "Liberty Cap" on top the rifles. A banner ribbon includes the state motto " Mountaineers Are Always Free". Around the picture are a wreath of rhododendron and the name of the state on a red ribbon.

Seal: Joseph H. Diss Debar, an artist from Doddridge County, was chosen by a committee of the Legislature to prepare drawings for an official seal for the state of West Virginia. The artist submitted his drawings with an explanation of each detail and from these was adopted, by the Legislature, a seal which has remained without change, the Official Seal of West Virginia. The seal contains the Latin motto, Montani Semper Liberi, which means "Mountaineers Are Always Free." A large stone in the center of the seal stands for strength. On the stone is the date on which the State was admitted to the Union, June 20, 1863. The farmer with his axe represents agriculture and the miner with his pick represents industry. In front of the rock are two rifles, crossed and surmounted at the place of contact by the Phrygian cap, or cap of liberty, indicating that freedom and liberty were won and will be maintained by the force of arms. While the seal was designed and adopted with two sides, only the front side is in common use.

The reverse side of laurel and oak leaves, log house, hills, factories and boats is the Governor’s Official Seal. The Constitution of West Virginia, Article 2, Section 7, provides that: "The present seal of the state, with its motto ‘Montani Semper Liberi,’ shall be the great seal of the state of West Virginia, and shall be kept by the secretary of state, to be used by him, officially as directed by law."

Bird: The Cardinal was made West Virginia’s official bird by concurrent resolution of the 1949 Legislature. The male of the species is a rich scarlet with a mask and shading of black, while the young birds and females are a less brilliant color. The cardinal measures approximately eight inches long and is found from New York state to the Gulf of Mexico and as far west as Oklahoma. Its scientific name is Cardinalis cardinalis.

Butterfly: The Monarch Butterfly was designated West Virginia's official state butterfly on March 1, 1995 by the Legislature, after declaration by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 11. The orange and black insect dines on milkweed as a caterpillar, sips nectar from flowers as a butterfly and, at summer's end, migrates south to Mexico. The butterflies that you see in the spring are the great grandchildren of the ones that lived in Mexico during the winter.

Fish: The Brook Trout, a native of West Virginia waters, is perhaps the most sought after trout. It puts up an excellent fight for its size. Not being able to withstand higher temperatures, it does best in small, cold, spring-fed streams. The brook trout is olive with lighter sides and a reddish belly (in males) and easily identified by the light colored edges of the lower fins. Its hatchery growth averages six to eight inches in length soon after birth.

Flower: The Rhododendron maximum, or "big laurel," is the state flower of West Virginia. It was selected on January 23, 1903, by the Legislature, following a vote by pupils of the public schools. It is a shrub of the heath family and may be recognized by its large dark evergreen leaves and delicate pale pink or white bloom, mottled with either red or yellow flecks.

Fruit: Golden Delicious Apple. Designated as the official State Fruit by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7, adopted by the Legislature on February 20, 1995. This apple variety was discovered by Anderson Mullins in Clay County, W. Va. in 1905. The plain apple had been previously designated as the official State Fruit by House Concurrent Resolution No. 56, adopted March 7, 1972.

Gem: The State Gem is technically not a gemstone, but rather the silicified Mississippian Fossil Coral, Lithostrotionella, preserved as the siliceous mineral chalcedony. Designated by House Concurrent Resolution No. 39, March 10, 1990. It is found in the Hillsdale Limestone in portions of Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties and is often cut and polished for jewelry and for display.

Tree: The Sugar Maple, or Acer saccarum as it is known scientifically, was made West Virginia's official tree by a resolution of the 1949 Legislature. It's wood is excellent for furniture and it produces maple syrup. A single tree is 70-120 feet high and produces two to three pounds of sugar when "sugared-off." It has a five-lobed leaf and a small wing-shaped seed pod. In the fall the leaves turn bright yellow.

Soil: The State Soil is Monongahela Silt Loam, adopted by concurrent resolution in 1997, making West Virginia the twelfth state to have an official state soil.

Songs: West Virginia My Home, The West Virginia Hills, This Is My West Virginia.

West Virginia Hills (Official Song )
Words by Mrs. Ellen King,
Music by H. E. Engle

Oh, the West Virginia hills! How majestic and how grand,
With their summits bathed in glory, Like our Prince Immanuel's Land!
Is it any wonder then, That my heart with rapture thrills,
As I stand once more with loved ones On those West Virginia hills?

Oh, the West Virginia hills! Where my childhood hours were passed,
Where I often wandered lonely, And the future tried to cast;
Many are our visions bright, Which the future ne'er fulfills;
But how sunny were my daydreams On those West Virginia hills!

Oh, the West Virginia hills! How unchang'd they seem to stand,
With their summits pointed skyward To the Great Almighty's Land!
Many changes I can see, Which my heart with sadness fills;
But no changes can be noticed In those West Virginia hills.

Oh, the West Virginia hills! I must bid you now adieu.
In my home beyond the mountains I shall ever dream of you;
In the evening time of life, If my Father only wills,
I shall still behold the vision Of those West Virginia hills.