[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 78 (Tuesday, June 20, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S5454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                           WEST VIRGINIA DAY

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today we celebrate West 
Virginia's 137th year as a state. West Virginia joined the Union in the 
midst of the Civil War when President Lincoln admitted it to the Union 
as the 35th state on June 20, 1863.
  The spirit of pride and determination that gave the first West 
Virginians the courage to start anew can still be seen in the ever-
innovative and evolving ways that West Virginians have adapted to 
changing economics and culture. This is apparent in the transitions of 
the coal and steel industries as well as in the increasing cultivation 
of the tourism industry. However, through the continual change, West 
Virginians have held a heritage that remains rich in song, craft, and 
tradition. It is as visible at the State Fair of West Virginia in 
Lewisburg, the Appalachian Heritage Festival in Shepherdstown, and the 
Tamarack Arts Center in Beckley as it is at Bob's Grocery in Lindside. 
The state has an abundance of coal, steel, forests, rivers, and 
mountains, but her greatest resource has always been her people.
  This natural charm of West Virginians is reflected in the scenic 
treasures that crown the state. Though born during a time of turmoil, 
present-day West Virginia is an emblem of peace and tranquility. Ernest 
W. James captured it perfectly:

     There autumn hillsides are bright with scarlet trees;
     And in the spring, the robins sing,
     While apple blossoms whisper in the breeze
     And where the sun draws rainbows in the mist
     of waterfalls and mountain rills,
     My heart will be always in the West Virginia hills.

  So on this, West Virginia's 137th birthday, I am enormously proud to 
invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating this 
West Virginia Day.

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