Charleston, West Virginia

State bird: Cardinal State flower: Rhododendron Population: 1,808,344 people Nickname: Mountain State Economy: Cattle, poultry, dairy products, apples, chemical products, mining, primary metals, stone, clay and glass products, tourism Fun facts: West Virginia has the oldest population of any state. The median age is 40. Jackson’s Mill is the site of the first 4-H camp in the US. The first rural free mail delivery started in Charles Town Oct 6, 1896 and then spread throughout the US. Nearly 75% of West Virginia is covered by forests. West Virginia was the first state to have a sales tax. It became effective July 1, 1921. Coal House, the only residence in the world built entirely of coal, is located in White Sulphur Springs. Daniel Boone made his last survey of Charleston on Sep 8, 1798. He left the state in 1799. Stone that was quarried near Hinton was contributed by WV for the Washington Monument and arrived in Washington
in February 1885. The first spa open to the public was at Berkeley Springs, WV in 1756 (then Bath, VA). The first brick street in the world was laid in Charleston, WV on Oct 23, 1870 on Summers Street between Kanawha and Virginia Streets.