Places of interest

Cass Gilbert designed the neoclassical-style State Capitol, which was completed in 1932. The Capitol houses the West Virginia State Museum. Among the city's cultural attractions are a symphony orchestra, syndicated public radio arts show, and other performing arts. The University of Charleston is located in the city, while Marshall University Graduate College and West Virginia State College are located nearby.

Economy

Charleston lies in an area that is rich in coal, oil, and natural gas. Nylon, lucite, and other chemicals, from which consumer plastics have been developed, originated in the area. There is still a large chemical-manufacturing industry in the Kanawha River valley, but the city's economy is also based on manufacturing and on other services (government and health care).

History

In 1788 Colonel George Clendenin bought land in the area, which was initially in Virginia, and named it Charles Town in honor of his father. The town grew because it was on a popular route from the East to the Ohio Valley; travelers took boats from Charles Town down the Kanawha River to the Ohio River.

Famous frontiersman Daniel Boone represented Kanawha County in the Virginia Assembly in 1790–91. The name of the town was changed to Charleston in 1818. By the time the first steamboat arrived in 1823, Charleston was an important center for the production of salt. Union troops occupied the town after the battle of Charleston on September 13, 1862, during the American Civil War. The following year, West Virginia became a separate state, and in 1877 the state capital moved from Wheeling to Charleston. The city became the permanent state capital in 1885. Population (2000 census), 53,421.