[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6711-S6712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           WEST VIRGINIA DAY

 Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, on June 20, 1863, West Virginia 
became the 35th State in our great Union. This coming Saturday, West 
Virginia will celebrate those 146 years of statehood, so I say, ``Happy 
Birthday, West Virginia!'' I might also add, `` and many more!'' It is 
a happy day.
  West Virginians will celebrate the State's birthday in many different 
ways. In the myriad State parks and forests, special programs may be 
enjoyed amid the majestic scenery, views of endless, rolling hills, and 
rushing, tumbling white water with which the Creator has blessed us. At 
the Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston, an outdoor concert will 
entertain the crowds with music and fun. Blenko Glass, in Milton, has 
produced another stunning artwork in molten, hand blown glass in honor 
of West Virginia Day. Across the State, local arts festivals and 
historic reenactments will celebrate the history and talents of West 
Virginia.
  West Virginia Day is a wonderful day to celebrate all that is unique 
about our great State. Of her 55 counties, 47 were named after notable 
individuals. Some counties derive their names from Revolutionary War 
heroes like Francis Marion and the Marquis de Lafayette. Others are 
named after U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents, including Jefferson, 
Jackson, Lincoln, and Grant; or notable politicians such as Senator 
Henry Clay of Kentucky. Just three county names reference the State's 
English heritage--Hampshire County, named after the county in England; 
Berkeley County, named after the Royal Governor of Virginia, Norborne 
Berkeley; and Raleigh County, named after the English explorer Sir 
Walter Raleigh.
  Several counties are named after prominent Virginians, reflective of 
West Virginia's origins as a part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 
Still other county names commemorating frontiersmen like Daniel Boone 
and Lewis Wetzel remind us of West Virginia's time at the fringes of 
the American union, when the Nation was still young and growing. 
Counties named after Native Americans like the Mingo Chief Logan, 
Powhatan princess Pocahontas, and the Mingo tribe, however, speak to 
West Virginia's even earlier history. Five county names celebrate 
natural features like rivers or the minerals that are West Virginia's 
great natural treasure.
  The stories of all these people, places, and things help to tell the 
history of West Virginia. It is a rich, complex and fascinating tale 
full of hope and hardship, triumph and tragedy. From the Native 
Americans who lived and hunted these rich woodlands, to the hearty 
settlers who built new lives in the hollows and along the rivers, West 
Virginia is full of unwritten history marked only by trails, mounds, 
campsites, and old homesteads. Modern history is built of soft red 
brick and bright limestone, iron rail lines and asphalt highways 
painstakingly carved through the hills. Every county is full of scenic 
drives, history, natural wonders, beautiful handcrafted goods and 
foods, and--most of all--welcoming people.
  Throughout her history, the State's motto has shone through: 
``Mountaineers are always free.'' West Virginians value grit and hard 
work put forth by individuals. Populated by hardworking families and 
individuals, West Virginians also value their close-knit communities. 
You can see that spirit whenever natural disasters bring neighbors 
together to work together in the aftermath of storm or flood. The same 
friendly atmosphere fills the many festivals and celebrations held 
throughout the State virtually every weekend.
  I urge those listening to come and explore West Virginia. We are 
closer than you think, but thanks to the mountains that have shaped our 
history, still quiet and unspoiled. I know that I may be a little bit 
biased, but West Virginia is my favorite State, full of never ending 
variety and great beauty in every season. From the colonial and Civil 
War history in the eastern panhandle's Harper's Ferry and Berkeley 
Springs, to the whitewater adventures offered on the Gauley and other 
rivers,

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West Virginia offers something for every taste. You can sample true 
luxury at the Greenbrier resort or ski and snowboard in the Canaan 
Valley. You can hunt game or the works of great artisans; listen to 
bluegrass music or to the wind blowing through the trees. West Virginia 
has been waiting for you for 146 years--come and celebrate with 
her.

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