Books with title West Virginia: The Mountain State

With its multitude of mountains and the highest elevation east of the Rockies, it's no wonder West Virginia's nickname is the "Mountain State." Abundant natural resources make it a leader in both industry and recreation, from glassmaking to rock climbing. Historic sites and sights include Harper's Ferry and the annual Native American Pow Wow, along with Lost World Caverns and White Sulphur Springs. Noteworthy West Virginians include Chuck Yeager and Olympian Mary Lou Retton. Mary Ann McCabe Riehle learned to appreciate the importance of reading and writing while growing up in the neighboring state of Kentucky. She graduated from Xavier University with a degree in Communication Arts and Education and has been a featured author and guest speaker at reading, writing, and library conferences. Mary Ann lives in Michigan with her husband, two daughters and their dog, Bisbee. Laura J. Bryant attended the Maryland Institute of Art and spent many years working in the display industry, which involved both illustrating, and designing scenery for projects including stage backdrops and corporate galas. She currently devotes all of her attention to the creation of children's books. Laura's other titles include A Fairy in a Dairy, Smudge Bunny, and the bestselling book God Gave Us You. Laura and her husband live in Mathias, West Virginia.

With its multitude of mountains and the highest elevation east of the Rockies, it's no wonder West Virginia's nickname is the "Mountain State." Abundant natural resources make it a leader in both industry and recreation, from glassmaking to rock climbing. Historic sites and sights include Harper's Ferry and the annual Native American Pow Wow, along with Lost World Caverns and White Sulphur Springs. Noteworthy West Virginians include Chuck Yeager and Olympian Mary Lou Retton. Mary Ann McCabe Riehle learned to appreciate the importance of reading and writing while growing up in the neighboring state of Kentucky. She graduated from Xavier University with a degree in Communication Arts and Education and has been a featured author and guest speaker at reading, writing, and library conferences. Mary Ann lives in Michigan with her husband, two daughters and their dog, Bisbee. Laura J. Bryant attended the Maryland Institute of Art and spent many years working in the display industry, which involved both illustrating, and designing scenery for projects including stage backdrops and corporate galas. She currently devotes all of her attention to the creation of children's books. Laura's other titles include A Fairy in a Dairy, Smudge Bunny, and the bestselling book God Gave Us You. Laura and her husband live in Mathias, West Virginia.

Written by Mingo County native Jeremy T.K. Farley, founder of Appalachian Magazine and descendant of a Confederate prisoner of war from Logan County, Farley not only lays out a very clear case as to why West Virginia was created illegally, but also links the state's unconstitutional beginning to many of the woes that have plagued the Mountain State throughout its entire existence. Championing the cause of Southern West Virginia, this book asserts that much of the Mountain State’s disproportionate level of poverty, political suppression and historic labor wars – especially in the southern region – can be directly attributed to the illegal creation of West Virginia and the subsequent neglect following the West Virginia Statehood Act – America’s coup d’état. Though the state’s motto may boldly proclaim that “Mountaineers are Always Free,” in reality, thanks in large part to the unlawful precedence set by the 1861 assembly, West Virginia’s mountaineers have historically been the most oppressed people in the nation. Perhaps the most heartbreaking element regarding the creation of the State of West Virginia is this: While the rest of the nation was casting off the evil chains of slavery in the closing days of the nineteenth century, the groundwork was being laid in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia for a new people to be enchained. In the century ahead, the plantations and cotton fields of Georgia gave way to the mines and company towns of Matewan and Paint Creek. The slave owners were replaced with distant industrial corporations profiteering on the backs of America’s once independent mountaineers. Taskmasters were exchanged for notorious mercenaries and terrorists such as the Baldwin-Felts Detectives, whose acts of brutality are unrivaled by even the most demonic slave owners. It is both heartbreaking and frightening to witness how quickly the mountain people of southern West Virginia went from being known as the free spirited Scotch-Irish to impoverished miners living in coal camps begging for just a temporary respite – all of which can be traced to the illegal and ill-advised creation of West Virginia.

The Inside College Football series introduces readers to some of the National Collegiate Athletic Associations (NCAAs) most popular college football teams. Each title features an in-depth look at a single NCAA football team, including its formation, history, accomplishments, and the legendary players and coaches that have served within its ranks. Detailed facts explore each teams stadium, uniforms, mascot, and team records. Exciting photographs, infographic-style quick facts, and a timeline round out each titles features, appealing to even the most reluctant readers.