Southern West Virginia
Southern West Virginia is a culturally and geographically distinct region in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Southern West Virginia is known for its coal mining heritage and Southern affinity. The region is also closely identified with southwestern Virginia and southeastern Kentucky, with close proximity to northwestern North Carolina and East Tennessee. Today, Southern West Virginia continues to grapple with poverty and continuing population loss. Almost the entire region is located in West Virginia's 3rd congressional district, which was represented by Evan Jenkins until he resigned on September 30, 2018 to take a seat as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Southern West Virginia, in a cultural and historical context, includes the following counties:
- Boone County
- Fayette County
- Greenbrier County
- Lincoln County
- Logan County
- McDowell County
- Mercer County
The City of Beckley, in Raleigh County, is the largest city in this region, followed by Bluefield, in Mercer County. Beckley has undergone a period of modest economic growth, and serves as the primary economic and cultural hub of much of Southern West Virginia.
Attractions
- Places of interest
- New River Gorge
- New River Gorge Bridge
- Tamarack, Best of West Virginia
- The Greenbrier
- Recreation
- Sports
Educational institutions
- Colleges and Universities
- Appalachian Bible College
- Bluefield State College
- Bridgemont Community and Technical College
- Concord University
- University of Charleston–Beckley
- New River Community and Technical College
- Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College
- West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
- West Virginia University Institute of Technology
- Public High Schools
- Bluefield High School
- Chapmanville Regional High School
- Fayetteville High School (West Virginia)
- Greenbrier East High School
- Greenbrier West High School
- Independence High School (West Virginia)
- James Monroe High School (West Virginia)
- Lincoln County High School (West Virginia)
- Liberty High School (Glen Daniel, West Virginia)
- Logan High School (West Virginia)
- Man High School
- Meadow Bridge High School
- Midland Trail High School
- Mingo Central Comprehensive High School
- Montcalm High School
- Mount View High School (West Virginia)
- Nicholas County High School
- Oak Hill High School (West Virginia)
- PikeView High School
- Princeton High School
- Richwood High School (West Virginia)
- River View High School (West Virginia)
- Scott High School (Madison, West Virginia)
- Shady Spring High School
- Sherman High School (Seth, West_Virginia)
- Summers County High School
- Tug Valley High School
- Valley High School (Smithers, West Virginia)
- Van Junior-Senior High School
- Westside High School (West Virginia)
- Woodrow Wilson High School (Beckley, West Virginia)
- Wyoming East High School
- Private Secondary Schools
- Beth Haven Christian School
- Bluefield International Academy
- Greater Beckley Christian School
- Mercer Christian Academy
- Mountain View Christian School
- Regional Christian School
- Rainelle Christian Academy
- Seneca Trail Christian Academy
- Trinity Christian Academy
- Victory Baptist Academy
Historical events and landmarks
- Hatfield–McCoy feud
- John Henry (folklore)
- The West Virginia Mine Wars
Media
- TV
- WVVA - Bluefield - NBC - 6
- WOAY - Oak Hill - ABC - 4
- WVNS - Ghent - CBS - 59
- WLFB - Bluefield - Religious - 40
- Radio
- WCIR-FM - Beckley - Top 40 - 103.7 FM
- WTNJ-FM - Mt. Hope - Country - 105.9 FM
- WHAJ-FM - Bluefield - Hot AC - 104.5 FM
- WVOW-FM - Logan - Variety - 101.9 FM
- WJLS-FM - Beckley - Country - 99.5 FM
- WXCC-FM - Williamson - Country - 96.5 FM
- WAXS-FM - Oak Hill - Oldies - 94.1 FM
- WRON-FM - Ronceverte - Good Time Oldies - 97.7 FM
Population
County | 2015 (estimate) | 2010 | 2000 | 1990 | 1980 | 1970 | 1960 | 1950 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boone | 23,372 | 24,629 | 25,535 | 25,870 | 30,447 | 25,118 | 28,764 | 33,173 |
Fayette | 44,997 | 46,039 | 47,579 | 47,952 | 57,863 | 49,332 | 61,731 | 82,443 |
Greenbrier | 35,516 | 35,480 | 34,453 | 34,693 | 37,665 | 32,090 | 34,446 | 39,295 |
Lincoln | 21,415 | 21,720 | 22,108 | 21,382 | 23,675 | 18,912 | 20,267 | 22,466 |
Logan | 34,707 | 36,743 | 37,710 | 43,032 | 50,679 | 46,269 | 61,570 | 77,391 |
McDowell | 19,835 | 22,113 | 27,329 | 35,233 | 49,899 | 50,666 | 71,359 | 98,887 |
Mercer | 61,164 | 62,264 | 62,980 | 64,980 | 73,942 | 63,206 | 68,206 | 75,013 |
Mingo | 25,292 | 26,839 | 28,253 | 33,739 | 37,336 | 32,780 | 39,742 | 47,409 |
Monroe | 13,506 | 13,502 | 14,583 | 12,406 | 12,873 | 11,272 | 11,584 | 13,123 |
Nicholas | 25,594 | 26,233 | 26,562 | 26,775 | 28,126 | 22,552 | 25,414 | 27,696 |
Raleigh | 77,510 | 78,859 | 79,220 | 76,819 | 86,821 | 70,080 | 77,826 | 96,273 |
Summers | 13,239 | 13,927 | 12,999 | 14,204 | 15,875 | 13,213 | 15,640 | 19,183 |
Wyoming | 22,151 | 23,796 | 25,708 | 28,990 | 35,993 | 30,095 | 34,836 | 37,540 |
Total | 418,298 | 432,144 | 445,019 | 466,075 | 541,194 | 465,585 | 551,385 | 669,892 |