When I was a child, probably 8 or 9 years old, my mother attended a conference at the University of Charleston.  My dad and I accompanied her because it was a day when I was off from school.  Even though I had deep roots in the Mountain State, I hadn’t spent much time in West Virginia’s capitol city up to that point.  My dad was a history teacher, so he was eager to show me the State Capitol, the “Lincoln Walks at Midnight” statue, and the location of Daniel Boone’s former home on the Kanawha River.  

When we pulled into the parking lot at the University of Charleston, I was immediately drawn to the riverbank. The state capitol with its golden dome sat directly across the Kanawha River. The red brick governor’s mansion with its grandiose white columns was on the left, and a steep green ridge served as the backdrop for the statehouse. 

The reflection of the capitol on the water was mesmerizing.  Upstream, the river disappeared into the mountains.  Even at that young age, I felt an extreme sense of pride in the beauty of our state capitol.  

25 years later, I can step outside my office in the University of Charleston library and see the view that made such an impact on me as a kid.  It never gets old.  Nearly every day, I take a walk down the sidewalk to admire the capitol and the river.  Former UC President Dr. Ed Welch called our patch of land “the best piece of real estate in West Virginia,” and I wholeheartedly agree.  

The Kanawha River is the same stream as the New River (the name changes when the Gauley meets the New about 40 miles above Charleston).  Recently, the New River Gorge became America’s newest national park.  The north-flowing river cuts a dramatic canyon through the Allegheny Mountains before the valley opens up near Glen Ferris, WV. 

After the river tumbles over the Kanawha Falls, the navigable portion of the waterway begins.  The drive along the river on US Route 60 is as educational as it is beautiful.  The evolution of West Virginia’s economy can be seen from the old factories and coal terminals near Montgomery to the banks and government buildings in Charleston.  

As a rural state, West Virginia gives its residents the opportunity to live and work in a place full of natural beauty.  Even in the largest city, Charleston, the river and hills encompass the town. Huntington, Parkersburg, Wheeling, and Morgantown all sit along major rivers. 

Cities like Bluefield, Lewisburg, and Elkins are surrounded by the high peaks of the Alleghenies.  Towns like Logan, Davis, Hinton, and Ansted are close enough to state parks that you can enjoy your lunch break at one of the quiet, forested picnic areas.         

One of my favorite college professors told me that he loved West Virginia because it is still unspoiled.  It is humbling to look outside my office window to see a river that may be one of the oldest on the planet, as many geologists believe.  The beautiful valley in which I am blessed to work every day has resisted the forces of change for millennia.  People have come and gone. 

Businesses have sprung up and died along the riverbanks.  But the river and the mountains have remained wild and wonderful for millions of years.  The view outside my office is one of the greatest benefits of working in the Mountain State.

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Dr. Travis Kahle can be reached at laurenkahle@ucwv.edu