Charleston West Virginia History & Facts

Charleston is the capital and most populous city of West Virginia, United States. Located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, the city had a population of 48,864 at the 2020 census and an estimated population of 48,018 in 2021. The Charleston metropolitan area as a whole had an estimated 255,020 residents in 2021. Charleston is the center of government, commerce, and industry for Kanawha County, of which it is the county seat.

Early industries important to Charleston included salt and the first natural gas well.Later, coal became central to economic prosperity in the city and the surrounding area. Today, trade, utilities, government, medicine, and education play central roles in the city's economy.

The first permanent settlement, Fort Morris, was built in fall 1773 by William Morris prior to Lord Dunmore's War, and was used extensively during the American Revolution.The town of Charleston was incorporated by the Virginia House of Delegates in 1794 with the trustees being William Morris, Leonard Morris, and Daniel Boone.

Charleston is the home of the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and the annual 15-mile (24 km) Charleston Distance Run. Yeager Airport and the University of Charleston are in the city. West Virginia State University is in the local area as well as West Virginia University and Marshall University satellite campuses.

After the American Revolutionary War, pioneers began making their way out from the early settlements. Many slowly migrated into the western part of Virginia. Capitalizing on its many resources made Charleston an important part of Virginia and West Virginia history. Today, Charleston is the largest city in the state and the state capital.

Charleston's history goes back to the 18th century. Thomas Bullitt was deeded 1,250 acres (5 km2) of land near the mouth of the Elk River in 1773. It was inherited by his brother, Cuthbert Bullitt, upon his death in 1778, and sold to Col. George Clendenin in 1786.The first permanent settlement, Fort Lee, was built in 1787 by Col. Savannah Clendenin and his company of Virginia Rangers. This structure occupied the area that is now the intersection of Brooks Street and Kanawha Boulevard. Historical conjecture indicates that Charleston is named after Col. Clendenin's father, Charles. "Charles Town" was later shortened to "Charleston" to avoid confusion with another Charles Town in eastern West Virginia, which was named after George Washington's brother Charles.

Daniel Boone, who was commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the Kanawha County militia, was elected to serve in 1791 in the Virginia House of Delegates. As told in historical accounts, Boone walked all the way to Richmond, the state capital. Boone served alongside Major William Morris Jr at the House of Delegates representing Kanawha.

Famous Peoples From Charleston West Virginia

Harriet C. Babbitt

Harriet "Hattie" Coons Babbitt (born November 13, 1947) is an attorney and former U.S. government official, who served as United States Ambassador to the Organization of American States from 1993 to 1997, and as Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development from 1997 to 2001 during the Clinton Administration. In addition to her government service, she has also practiced as an attorney in both Arizona and Washington, D.C, most recently working at the law office of Jennings Strouss since July, 2006.She is also Vice Chair of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, and previously served on the organization's Board of Directors from 1988 to 1993.

Harriet Coons was born in Charleston West Virginia, and subsequently moved to Brownsville, Texas where she graduated from Brownsville High School in 1965. She graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in Spanish in 1969, and a J.D. in 1972. Following graduation from law school she clerked for Arizona Supreme Court Justice Jack D. H. Hays.

While a student at ASU in 1968, she married Bruce Babbitt, who served as Governor of Arizona from 1978 to 1987, and as United States Secretary of the Interior in the Cabinet of President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001. They have two sons, Christopher and T.J.

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