When you think about West Virginia, does something like this come to mind?”
WEST VIRGINIA: THE MYTHS VS REALITY
I’m here to set the record straight. I’ve been all over West Virginia and I haven’t run into this type of backwoods scene. Appalachian culture, like all rural cultures in this country, has evolved. And some of those preconveived ideas collide with what it’s really like now especially in the Eastern Panhandle.
The Myth . West Virginia is a backwards society. The reality: t’s not about being backward; it’s about embracing a more conservative, family-oriented small-town vibe – maybe some people see that as backwards. The Eastern Panhandle occupies a unique space –
To its east lies the bustling, progressive DC metro area, and heading west into West Virginia’s heartland, the rural small-town vibe becomes more apparent. The Eastern Panhandle is a blend of these 2 worlds. It offers easy access to the shopping malls, restaurants, and nationally renowned cultural attractions, job opportunities you find in a more densely populated like the DC area while maintaining the small-town appeal that West Virginia is famous for.”
Myth #2. We’re behind in technology. . The reality. West Virginia, as a whole, has historically found itself trailing in technology. But there’s been recent programs and funding initiatives, including – thanks to Senator Joe Manchin – two substantial grants from the Economic Development Administration that are directed to create economic opportunities in the technology sector.” So there’s a focus on growing technology opportunities in West Virginia. One of the advantages of the Eastern Panhandle is its close proximity to the job market in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. For residents, this means access to a wide range of high-tech job opportunities. High speed internet has given people options for where they want to live and alot of folks here telecommute most of the time and then drive to a DC job once or twice a week. So can live in a more relaxed, small-town setting while having high-tech career opportunities less than 2 hours away.. And if you don’t want to drive or prefer a more scenic trip, we’ve got daily MARC train service from three historic stations in Berkeley and Jefferson County to Union Station in DC. Those stations date back to the civil war and the Caperton station in Martinsburg and the Harpers Ferry station are particularly charming. That Harpers Ferry ride takes you through a mountain with stunning views of the Potomac and Shenandoah River.”
Myth number 3. There’s no arts or culture scene in the state. The Reality. There’s a very active arts and culture scene in WV especially in the Eastern Panhandle. For example one of the top theatre production companies in the country – the American Contemporary Theatre has a chapter in Shepherdstown at the Marinoff Center at Shepherd University. Every summer in July, they sponsor a week long series of really good professional plays along with scheduled discussions, and talkbacks with theatre participants. People from all over the country travel to Shepherdstown during theatre week.
Shepherdstown itself is a charming postcard town by the Potomac, with a strong cultural scene. There’s live chamber music performances, and occasional story tellers in the tradition of Appalachian culture – I’ve been to several of those events and I especially like the story tellers.
Another town that offers a strong arts scene is Berkeley Springs in Morgan County. It has been named as one of the top 10 art towns in the country. There’s several galleries in town and festivals including Art in the Park on weekends. My favorite place is the Ice House – a huge old ice factory that is now a gallery full of artistic works and crafts and there’s a playhouse in there for local theatre. There’s also playhouses in Martinsburg and Charles Town. So there’s a very active arts and cultural scene in the Eastern Panhandle.
Myth number 4. People are unfriendly and unwelcoming. I get that feedback on some of my YouTube videos and The reality is that the opposite is true. One of the things we noticed when we moved here is how people acknowledge each other. That’s not the case so much in a larger city.
And finally the myth that people keep appliances and old cars in their yard. Someone actually ask me that. If you get way out in the country you might see one of those car parts graveyards. I haven’t seen that here in the Eastern Panhandle. So that’s not really a thing.
So, there you have it, my friends, a look at the myths surrounding West Virginia and the reality, particularly in the Eastern Panhandle. It’s a place where West Virginia’s traditions thrive, while at the same time has the benefits of being close to the progressive DC/Baltimore metro area. If you’d like more information about the Eastern Panhandle, download our relocation guide. Here’s the link. https://meetmeinthepanhandle.com/relocationguide.
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