Morgantown, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County
, West Virginia
. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River
, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia
, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area
. It is best known as the home both of West Virginia University
and the one-of-a-kind Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
system.
in 1763, what is now known as Morgantown was greatly contested among settlers and Native Americans
, as well as the British and the French. The treaty decided the issue in favor of the British, but Indian fighting continued almost to the beginning of the American Revolution
.
Zackquill Morgan
, son of Morgan Morgan
, and his brother David entered the area of Virginia
that would become Morgantown in about 1767, although others such as Thomas Decker are recorded as attempting settlements in the area earlier or at about the same time. As well, several forts were built in the area during this time: Fort Pierpont near the Cheat River
, in 1769; Fort Coburn, near Dorsey's Knob, in 1770. Fort Morgan, at the present site of Morgantown, in 1772; Fort Dinwiddle, north several miles at Stewartstown, in 1772; Fort Martin, several miles north on the Monongahela River
, in 1773; Fort Burris in the present-day Suncrest area of Morgantown, in 1774; and Fort Kern in the present-day Greenmont area of Morgantown, in 1774, in addition to other, smaller forts.
Zackquill Morgan settled the area about 1772 by establishing a homestead near present-day Fayette Street and University Avenue. Morgan fought in both the French and Indian War
and the American Revolutionary War
, rising to the rank of colonel
. By 1783, following his wartime duties, Colonel Morgan commissioned Major William Haymond to survey his land and divide it into streets and lots. Colonel Morgan then received a legal certificate for 400 acres (1.6 km²) in the area of his settlement near the mouth of Decker's Creek. 50 acres (202,343 m²) were appropriated for Morgan's Town by the Virginia General Assembly
in October 1785. On February 3, 1838, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a municipal charter
incorporating the city, now with a population of about 700, as Morgantown, Virginia. The town became part of the newly created state of West Virginia
on June 20, 1863, through the Reorganized Government of Virginia.
network MTV
announced in October 2006, that it would tape an eight-episode reality TV series, Show Choir, following Morgantown High School's show choir
, which performs songs in four-part harmony
, with costumes and choreography
, on a competitive circuit. The show was scheduled to premiere Spring 2007, but as of 2010 has yet to air.
The Joni Mitchell
song "Morning Morgantown" is popularly believed to be written about Morgantown, West Virginia.
The 2006 film We Are Marshall
has two brief scenes set in, but not filmed in, Morgantown.
s and geographic elevations as factors in testing the technology's viability. The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
(PRT) has been in use since 1975.
, 208 miles (334.7 km) west of Washington, D.C.
, 204 miles (328.3 km) east of Columbus, Ohio
, and 156 miles (251.1 km) northeast of Charleston, West Virginia
. Morgantown is just south of the Mason-Dixon Line
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.2 km²), of which 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) (3.16%) is water.
is one of West Virginia's few commercial airports. It is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of the downtown along U.S. Route 119.
. Coal is the major commodity with a train serving local chemical industries such as Tanner and Chemtura that require tank cars. Recently the railroad has begun to receive untreated crossties. These are trucked in and then loaded onto high side gondolas or bulkhead flat cars.
The current railroad situation came about when Conrail was split by Norfolk Southern and CSX in 1999. CSX pays for half of the cost of maintenance for the line. CSX uses it mostly to quickly bring trains from Grafton to load at Consol's Bailey Mine and for direct access to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
for shipping coal and other products. The river is fully navigable from its mouth at the Ohio River
in Pittsburgh
past Morgantown upstream to Fairmont
. Morgantown Lock and Dam
, located in the southern part of the city, provides a pool heading upstream towards Fairmont. Point Marion Lock and Dam
, the next downstream dam, is responsible for most of the river's pool in Morgantown.
bus system. Most service operates Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a very limited service operating on Sunday during the WVU school year. MountainLine's Grey Line bus operates every day of the year between Clarksburg, West Virginia
and the Pittsburgh
Airport
. Morgantown also has the Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
(PRT) system. The system has five stations (Walnut, Beechurst, Engineering, Towers, and Medical) covering 8.65 min (13.9 km).
During 1885-1888, the land in the Evansdale/Suncrest area was agricultural, with farms of 400–1000 acre (1.6–4 km2). Drummond's Chapel was named after a minister who then moved to Missouri. The Evans Farm was located on land near Riverview Drive and 8th Street and was named for Colonel John Evans, who fought in the American Revolution
with Morgantown founder Zack Morgan. The Krepps farmhouse was located on land where the West Virginia University
Creative Arts Center, Engineering and Agricultural buildings would later be built. Dilley Farm was located on the other side of 8th street. The Van Voorhis Farm was large. Down Collins Ferry Road was the Anderson Farm. The Jacobs Farm was below Elmhurst and Mulberry.
Trolley cars determined how far people lived outside of the city, and did not reach to what is now Suncrest. By 1920, however, cars were becoming common.
In 1923, the Monongahela Development Company bought land from Krepps and most others else in the area. Suncrest Park bought Sears Roebuck house plans and divided Suncrest into three areas: Fairfield Street, Suncrest Park and Suncrest. No African-Americans, Jews or immigrants were permitted to buy land there. In 1928, the Suncrest Home Association developers gave 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) for what became Krepps Park. A civic group built facilities and the park was given to Morgantown, which made some improvements.
By 1937, Suncrest needed a town government to pave streets and provide water and sewer. Dr. Julian Leach, a WVU plant pathologist, was elected mayor; Bill Hart was a later mayor. Suncrest finally became part of Morgantown. In 1940 the Dupont industrial park around the Kenmore Street area built 100 homes with six different floor plans. From 1947 to 1950, Gunnison homes were built in the Mulberry and Lake Street areas. The development of the DuPont Ordinance Works during World War II in Westover resulted in a large number of prefabricated homes being constructed in Suncrest. Old Suncrest and Suncrest Addition were among the names given to various subsections of this growing community. The names of some streets reflected the community’s participation in various service organizations, such as Civitan, Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary. Before Suncrest became part of Morgantown in 1949, it had first been incorporated in 1937 as the town of Suncrest; the name came from a developer who looked out one morning and saw the sun crest over a hill.
The area from University Avenue to the university's medical school held a racetrack at one point. When there was talk of building a medical school in West Virginia, Charleston
and Huntington
vied for it, but Morgantown offered to give 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) and provide a county hospital. A cemetery with 200 graves near what is now Ruby Memorial Hospital had to be relocated to the West Run area. Around 1928, there was an airport near where the West Virginia University Coliseum was later built.
Suncrest students attend three or four schools throughout their K-12 education, starting at Suncrest Primary School or North Elementary School, Suncrest Middle School and Morgantown High School depending on where they live.
In 2000, the White House Millennium Council designated Suncrest as a Millennium Community.
To combat the problems facing Sunnyside, the City of Morgantown and West Virginia University teamed up to establish the Sunnyside Up Project: Campus Neighborhoods Revitalization Corporation, dedicated to the redevelopment of this area. The first step was to create a comprehensive revitalization plan, which was published in Fall of 2004. The University's Summit Hall Dormitory and the new Honors Hall Dormitory are located in the southern part of the neighborhood.
from downtown Morgantown. Originally farmland, it was one of the first suburbs of Morgantown. In the early 20th century, South Park saw a housing boom, with wealthy and influential citizens settling there. The neighborhood is home to Morgantown High School, built in 1924 and was recently expanded. The neighborhood is designated a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places. Lower South Park has become a popular area for student rentals as many of the houses have been renovated to apartments. Close to downtown, it is a quick walk to many bars.
While originally home to small hillside farmsteads, Woodburn in the late 19th century grew into a typical city neighborhood. Many of the street names, such as Louise Ave, James St, and Ridgeway Avenue, are named for early farm families, and many of the original farmhouses remain standing in the first decade of the 21st century. The area saw a rapid growth in population at the beginning of the 20th century as home to tinsmiths from Wales
who came to work in the tinplate mill that later became the Sterling Faucet plant in Sabraton. A trolley line ran the length of Richwood Avenue and originally connected downtown with Sabraton. The Welsh community was active in the Methodist Church at the intersection of High Street and Willey Street, and held picnics in Whitmore Park, the main green space in Woodburn. Many of these immigrants retained the Welsh language
, and as late as the 1930s it was common to hear Welsh spoken on the streets of Woodburn and the community was known for carrying on a traditional eisteddfod every year. Woodburn Elementary School was the neighborhood school built in 1910.
Following World War II
, many new families came to Woodburn, attracted by the parkland, close proximity to downtown, community atmosphere, and nearby school. Actor David Selby
spent his childhood living in Woodburn. In 1950, Tom and Anna Torch opened the Richwood Avenue Confectionary, a corner store and lunch counter that served beer in large Weiss goblets from the Morgantown Glassworks. When they sold the operation in 1963 to Mario and Rose Spina, the establishment was nicknamed "Marios Fishbowl" in honor of the goblets.
A neighborhood newspaper was published here in the 1980s.
of 2000, there were 26,809 people, 10,782 households, and 4,183 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,736.0 people per square mile (1,056.2/km²). There were 11,721 housing units at an average density of 1,196.2 per square mile (461.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.48% White, 4.15% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 10,782 households out of which 15.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.1% were married couples
living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 61.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.76.
Morgantown's age distribution, which is heavily influenced by the presence of West Virginia University, is: 11.1% under the age of 18, 44.7% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 13.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,649, and the median income for a family was $44,622. Males had a median income of $33,268 versus $24,944 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,459. About 15.0% of families and 38.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Following Census 2000, Monongalia County (with county seat Morgantown) and neighboring Preston County
were acknowledged as a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) by the United States government. Estimates from 2004 put the Metropolitan Statistical Area population at 113,500; as of July 2005, the estimate was 114,501. Of the 10 largest cities in West Virginia, only Morgantown and Martinsburg
have shown positive population growth since the 2000 census, with Morgantown growing from 26,809 to a 2007 estimate of 29,361.
West Virginia University constitutes 913 acres (3.7 km²) of the city and vicinity, and with the fall 2005 enrollment added an additional population of 27,115 students.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Morgantown has amongst the lowest unemployment rates in the United States as of early 2009.
, the mascot of which is the Hawks, and Morgantown High School, whose mascot is the Mohigans. The latter's name is that of a non-existent Native American
tribe whose name is a combination of the words Morgantown (MO) High (HIG) Annual (AN), which was the school's yearbook. The Native American mascot and logo were adopted because of the close relation to the name Mohican
, a real Native American tribe. Notable Morgantown High School alumni include screenwriter
-film director
Lawrence Kasdan
(class of 1966), actor
Don Knotts
(class of 1942), college football
coach Tommy Bowden
(class of 1972), and TV college football
analyst Terry Bowden
(class of 1974).
As of April 2005, Monongalia County Schools employs 897 professional personnel and 490 service personnel, and carries an enrollment of 10,076 students, including 156 adult students at the Monongalia County Technical Education Center. Three of Monongalia County's 23 schools have earned Exemplary Achievement status, according to the West Virginia Office of Educational Performance Audits' (OEPA) report issued November 2004. In 2004, Suncrest Middle became a National Blue Ribbon School for the No Child Left Behind Act.
Other private schools include: Covenant Christian School, Maranatha Christian Academy, Morgantown Christian Academy, Trinity Christian School, St. Francis Elementary/Middle School, and the alternative, non-religious Morgantown Learning Academy.
. The Academy moved to a new two-story building in 1830, with principal Jonathan Haddock offering courses in geography
, surveying, and navigation
in addition to traditional subjects. Presbyterian minister Reverend James Robertson Moore was principal during the Academy's 1852-1864 heyday, when its enrollment included students from 14 states. In 1867, the Academy closed, and donated its land toward the establishment of West Virginia University
.
The Virginia Assembly in March 1831 authorized the creation of the Morgantown Female Academy. Proceeds from the sale of the original Monongalia Academy building funded construction of a two-story school at Bumbo Lane (the modern-day Fayette Street) and Long Alley (the modern-day Chestnut Street). This school opened April 1, 1834. After the Assembly approved a charter change in 1838, the school became known as the Methodist Academy. This prompted local Presbyterians to create the Woodburn Female Seminary, for which the Monongalia Academy's Rev. Moore also served as principal. The seminary closed in 1866, and its assets, like those of the Monongalia Academy, were donated toward the future university.
Following the 1863 creation of West Virginia, the new state's first legislature created a public-school system. The act provided for the education of "free colored
children", and was adapted three years later to mandate education for all African-American children. However, a two-tier system was created: White children attended a regular term (at the second former Monongalia Academy building, purchased in 1867 from West Virginia Agricultural College, the future West Virginia University), only a short term was provided for African-Americans, who met at St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church, on Beechurst Avenue.
elementary school
, Saint Francis de Sales, began sometime prior to 1915 as a two-room school in a house on McLane Avenue in the Seneca neighborhood, and run by lay teacher Miss Sterbutsal, who became Sister M. Isabelle of the Sisters of St. Joseph. In October 1915, the pastorate of Father Peter Flynn arranged for Ursuline
nuns from Louisville
, Kentucky
, and in 1918, under principal Sister M. Isadore, the school moved to a new building on Beechurst Avenue, adjacent to St. Theresa's Church. On June 9, 1990, the grade school moved into the former St. Francis Central High School building, and eventually into newly built facility at 41 Guthrie Lane. Its mascot is the Falcon
. The Beechurst Avenue building was demolished in 2003.
St. Francis Central High School existed for several decades on Birch Street in the Evansdale neighborhood until that campus was taken over by the elementary school on June 9, 1990. Its mascot was the Trojans
, and its football field was named for Father Flynn. The West Virginia University Foundation purchased its building and land in July 2003, formally selling it to WVU for $11 million in August 2004, with the university then announcing it intended to use the football and adjacent baseball fields as intramural
recreation area. Through January 2006, the building housed the St. Francis middle and elementary schools.
, founded in 1867. With an operating budget of approximately $654 million as of the mid-first decade of the 21st century, it also has $150 million annually in sponsored contracts and research grants conducted by faculty members.
Fall 2009 enrollment was 28,839, with students from all 55 state counties, 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and 89 other nations. 2008 Basic figures regarding the student body:
The 2007-08 curriculum is supported by 14 colleges and schools offering 179 bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degree programs in the arts and sciences; business and economics; creative arts; engineering and mineral resources; human resources and education; journalism; law; agriculture, forestry, and consumer sciences; dentistry; medicine; nursing; pharmacy; physical education; plus programs at Potomac State College.
Print
Morgantown has three newspapers. The Dominion Post is a privately owned newspaper which is published daily. It is also the only local newspaper which is not run by, or geared towards, the student population. The university-owned and student-run college newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum, is published on weekdays while classes are in session, and is provided free of charge on campus and to many businesses around Morgantown. Finally, the privately-owned and student-run college newspaper, The Mountaineer Jeffersonian, published weekly on Wednesdays, is distributed free of charge on campus and to many businesses around Morgantown. It is the most recent addition to the selection of local newspapers in Morgantown.
There are also other local quasi-newspapers such as the Post Extra and the Morgantown Times, which typically feature a few local news stories and an abundance of advertisements. Both are free of charge and mass-mailed throughout the Morgantown area.
, natural gas
services by Dominion Resources
, and water and sewage by the Morgantown Utility Board.
Cable television
and cable Internet
are provided by Comcast Communications. Landline telephone
and DSL services are offered by Frontier Communications (due to a recent acquisition from Verizon Communications
), with West Side Telecommunications telephone and DSL service available in some areas.
Cellular telephone service is available through US Cellular, nTelos
, Sprint
, and AT&T
(formerly Cingular Wireless
). Other cellular service is available through pre-paid carriers such as Boost Mobile
, Virgin Mobile
, Net10
, and TracFone, which typically "piggy-back" off of Sprint's network.
Trash pickup is provided by Allied Waste Industries
.
with Guanajuato
, Mexico
Monongalia County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 81,866 people, 33,446 households, and 18,495 families residing in the county. The population density was 227 people per square mile . There were 36,695 housing units at an average density of 102 per square mile...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia
North-Central West Virginia
North-Central West Virginia is a region of the U.S. State of West Virginia. The region's largest city is Morgantown.- Counties :*Monongalia County*Marion County*Harrison County*Taylor County*Doddridge County...
, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area
Morgantown metropolitan area
The Morgantown Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in north-central West Virginia, anchored by the city of Morgantown...
. It is best known as the home both of West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
and the one-of-a-kind Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit system is a one-of-a-kind people mover system in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States...
system.
History
Morgantown is closely tied to the Anglo-French struggle for this territory. Until the Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
in 1763, what is now known as Morgantown was greatly contested among settlers and Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, as well as the British and the French. The treaty decided the issue in favor of the British, but Indian fighting continued almost to the beginning of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
Zackquill Morgan
Zackquill Morgan
Colonel Zackquill Morgan was a son of Welsh-born Colonel Morgan Morgan, the first known white settler in what would become the U.S. state of West Virginia, and his wife, Catherine Garretson. Zackquill Morgan's very unusual Christian name is spelled many different ways in old records...
, son of Morgan Morgan
Morgan Morgan
Colonel Morgan Morgan is traditionally believed to have founded the first permanent white settlement in present day West Virginia at Cool Spring Farm, and he is credited with founding the first church in what is now West Virginia.-Early life:Little direct evidence of Morgan's early life and...
, and his brother David entered the area of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
that would become Morgantown in about 1767, although others such as Thomas Decker are recorded as attempting settlements in the area earlier or at about the same time. As well, several forts were built in the area during this time: Fort Pierpont near the Cheat River
Cheat River
The Cheat River is a tributary of the Monongahela River in eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Via the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed, ultimately draining into the Gulf of Mexico.-Geography:The Cheat is formed at...
, in 1769; Fort Coburn, near Dorsey's Knob, in 1770. Fort Morgan, at the present site of Morgantown, in 1772; Fort Dinwiddle, north several miles at Stewartstown, in 1772; Fort Martin, several miles north on the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
, in 1773; Fort Burris in the present-day Suncrest area of Morgantown, in 1774; and Fort Kern in the present-day Greenmont area of Morgantown, in 1774, in addition to other, smaller forts.
Zackquill Morgan settled the area about 1772 by establishing a homestead near present-day Fayette Street and University Avenue. Morgan fought in both the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, rising to the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. By 1783, following his wartime duties, Colonel Morgan commissioned Major William Haymond to survey his land and divide it into streets and lots. Colonel Morgan then received a legal certificate for 400 acres (1.6 km²) in the area of his settlement near the mouth of Decker's Creek. 50 acres (202,343 m²) were appropriated for Morgan's Town by the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
in October 1785. On February 3, 1838, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a municipal charter
Municipal charter
A city charter or town charter is a legal document establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the middle ages....
incorporating the city, now with a population of about 700, as Morgantown, Virginia. The town became part of the newly created state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
on June 20, 1863, through the Reorganized Government of Virginia.
Morgantown in the media
The cable televisionCable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
announced in October 2006, that it would tape an eight-episode reality TV series, Show Choir, following Morgantown High School's show choir
Show choir
A show choir is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.-History:...
, which performs songs in four-part harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, with costumes and choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, on a competitive circuit. The show was scheduled to premiere Spring 2007, but as of 2010 has yet to air.
The Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
song "Morning Morgantown" is popularly believed to be written about Morgantown, West Virginia.
The 2006 film We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall is a 2006 American drama film directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team as well as five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters and...
has two brief scenes set in, but not filmed in, Morgantown.
Points of interest
- Core ArboretumCore ArboretumThe Earl L. Core Arboretum is a arboretum owned by West Virginia University and located on Monongahela Boulevard in Morgantown, West Virginia. It is open to the public daily without charge....
- Dorsey Knob
- Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park
- The Metropolitan TheatreMetropolitan Theatre (Morgantown, West Virginia)Metropolitan Theatre is a historic theater building located at Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia. It opened July 24, 1924, two-and-a-half years after construction began, and consists of a single floor auditorium with balcony. The building measures 72 feet by 143 feet, and has two...
(former vaudeville house) - Warner TheatreWarner Theatre (Morgantown, West Virginia)The Warner Theater is a historic Art Deco movie theater at 147 High Street in downtown Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. Opened June 12, 1931, it was designed by architect John Eberson, whose theaters included the since-demolished Colonial and Astor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the...
(closed September 10, 2010) - Monongalia Arts Center (MAC)
- Monongalia County CourthouseMonongalia County CourthouseMonongalia County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located at Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia. The courthouse was built in 1891, and consists of a two-story building with a basement, five-story clock tower and three-story South tower in the Romanesque styles...
- Mountaineer Field
- WVU ColiseumWVU ColiseumThe WVU Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena which is located in the Evansdale campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The circular arena features a poured concrete roof....
- Cheat LakeCheat LakeCheat Lake is a long reservoir on the Cheat River in Monongalia County, West Virginia, USA. It was originally named Lake Lynn, but the Board on Geographic Names officially decided upon Cheat Lake as the reservoir's name in 1976. The surface area of Cheat Lake is about...
- Rail Trail
- Personal Rapid Transit system (PRT)
Early structures
Notable early structures still standing in Morgantown in the mid-first decade of the 21st century include The Old Stone House, built in 1795 by Jacob Nuce on Long Alley (the modern-day Chestnut Street) and the John Rogers family home on Foundry Street, built in 1840 and occupied as of 2011 by the Dering Funeral Home.Personal Rapid Transit System
During the 1970s, the U.S. Department of Transportation built an experimental personal rapid transit system in the city, citing the area's variable seasonal climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
s and geographic elevations as factors in testing the technology's viability. The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit system is a one-of-a-kind people mover system in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States...
(PRT) has been in use since 1975.
Geography and climate
Morgantown is located at 39°38′1"N 79°57′2"W (39.633696, -79.950670). The city is located 75 miles (120.7 km) south of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, 208 miles (334.7 km) west of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, 204 miles (328.3 km) east of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, and 156 miles (251.1 km) northeast of Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
. Morgantown is just south of the Mason-Dixon Line
Mason-Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.2 km²), of which 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) (3.16%) is water.
Climate
Airport
Morgantown Municipal AirportMorgantown Municipal Airport
Morgantown Municipal Airport , also known as Walter L. Bill Hart Field, is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Morgantown, in Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States. The airport is owned by the City of Morgantown...
is one of West Virginia's few commercial airports. It is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of the downtown along U.S. Route 119.
Rail
The only active rail line in Morgantown is owned by Norfolk Southern with CSX trackage rights and serves a mine located northwest of Rivesville, West VirginiaRivesville, West Virginia
Rivesville is a town in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 913 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:Rivesville is located at in the heart of the Fairmont coal field on the north-west bank of the Monongahela River around its confluence with Paw Paw Creek.According to the...
. Coal is the major commodity with a train serving local chemical industries such as Tanner and Chemtura that require tank cars. Recently the railroad has begun to receive untreated crossties. These are trucked in and then loaded onto high side gondolas or bulkhead flat cars.
The current railroad situation came about when Conrail was split by Norfolk Southern and CSX in 1999. CSX pays for half of the cost of maintenance for the line. CSX uses it mostly to quickly bring trains from Grafton to load at Consol's Bailey Mine and for direct access to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
River
Morgantown relies heavily on the Monongahela RiverMonongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
for shipping coal and other products. The river is fully navigable from its mouth at the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
past Morgantown upstream to Fairmont
Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Nicknamed "The Friendly City". The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census...
. Morgantown Lock and Dam
Morgantown Lock and Dam
Morgantown Lock and Dam is a navigational lock and gated dam on the Monongahela River at Morgantown, West Virginia. It is part of a series of dams that canalizes the Monongahela to a depth of at least for its entire length from Fairmont, West Virginia to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is...
, located in the southern part of the city, provides a pool heading upstream towards Fairmont. Point Marion Lock and Dam
Point Marion Lock and Dam
Point Marion Lock and Dam, previously known as Lock and Dam Number 8, is one of nine navigational structures on the Monongahela River between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Fairmont, West Virginia. Maintained and built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the gated dam forms an upstream pool that is ...
, the next downstream dam, is responsible for most of the river's pool in Morgantown.
Major roadways
-
Interstate 79Interstate 79Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania... -
Interstate 68Interstate 68Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as... -
Mon–Fayette ExpresswayMon–Fayette ExpresswayThe Mon–Fayette Expressway is an interstate tolled freeway that is planned to eventually link Interstate 68 near Morgantown, West Virginia with two branches to Interstate 376 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... -
U.S. Highway 19 -
U.S. Highway 119 -
West Virginia Route 7 -
West Virginia Route 100 -
West Virginia Route 705
Transit
Most of Morgantown is accessible by Mountain Line Transit AuthorityMountain Line Transit Authority
Mountain Line Transit Authority is the provider of public transportation located in Morgantown, West Virginia and the surrounding area. It is also the provider of bus service on the campus of West Virginia University as well as inter-city bus service to Fairmont, West Virginia, Clarksburg, West...
bus system. Most service operates Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a very limited service operating on Sunday during the WVU school year. MountainLine's Grey Line bus operates every day of the year between Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area...
and the Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
Airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
. Morgantown also has the Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
The Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit system is a one-of-a-kind people mover system in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States...
(PRT) system. The system has five stations (Walnut, Beechurst, Engineering, Towers, and Medical) covering 8.65 min (13.9 km).
Neighborhoods
Morgantown is made up of several neighborhoods, some of which were previously independent towns that were annexed by the city as it continued to grow. Neighborhoods include First Ward, Woodburn, South Park, Jerome Park, South Hills, Second Ward, Greenmont, Suncrest, Wiles Hill, Sunnyside, Sabraton, the Mileground, and North Hills. While some of these, such as the Mileground, Easton, and Sabraton, are in part or entirely outside the city limits, they are still considered part of Morgantown. The Morgantown MSA contains roughly 117,000 permanent residents, excluding nearly 30,000 full-time students at West Virginia University.Suncrest
Fort Burris was erected in 1774 in what became the Suncrest area of Morgantown. The fort was a settler's blockhouse located in what as of 2010 is the Summers Masonic Lodge at the intersection of Burroughs and Windsor streets.During 1885-1888, the land in the Evansdale/Suncrest area was agricultural, with farms of 400–1000 acre (1.6–4 km2). Drummond's Chapel was named after a minister who then moved to Missouri. The Evans Farm was located on land near Riverview Drive and 8th Street and was named for Colonel John Evans, who fought in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
with Morgantown founder Zack Morgan. The Krepps farmhouse was located on land where the West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
Creative Arts Center, Engineering and Agricultural buildings would later be built. Dilley Farm was located on the other side of 8th street. The Van Voorhis Farm was large. Down Collins Ferry Road was the Anderson Farm. The Jacobs Farm was below Elmhurst and Mulberry.
Trolley cars determined how far people lived outside of the city, and did not reach to what is now Suncrest. By 1920, however, cars were becoming common.
In 1923, the Monongahela Development Company bought land from Krepps and most others else in the area. Suncrest Park bought Sears Roebuck house plans and divided Suncrest into three areas: Fairfield Street, Suncrest Park and Suncrest. No African-Americans, Jews or immigrants were permitted to buy land there. In 1928, the Suncrest Home Association developers gave 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) for what became Krepps Park. A civic group built facilities and the park was given to Morgantown, which made some improvements.
By 1937, Suncrest needed a town government to pave streets and provide water and sewer. Dr. Julian Leach, a WVU plant pathologist, was elected mayor; Bill Hart was a later mayor. Suncrest finally became part of Morgantown. In 1940 the Dupont industrial park around the Kenmore Street area built 100 homes with six different floor plans. From 1947 to 1950, Gunnison homes were built in the Mulberry and Lake Street areas. The development of the DuPont Ordinance Works during World War II in Westover resulted in a large number of prefabricated homes being constructed in Suncrest. Old Suncrest and Suncrest Addition were among the names given to various subsections of this growing community. The names of some streets reflected the community’s participation in various service organizations, such as Civitan, Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary. Before Suncrest became part of Morgantown in 1949, it had first been incorporated in 1937 as the town of Suncrest; the name came from a developer who looked out one morning and saw the sun crest over a hill.
The area from University Avenue to the university's medical school held a racetrack at one point. When there was talk of building a medical school in West Virginia, Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
and Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
vied for it, but Morgantown offered to give 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) and provide a county hospital. A cemetery with 200 graves near what is now Ruby Memorial Hospital had to be relocated to the West Run area. Around 1928, there was an airport near where the West Virginia University Coliseum was later built.
Suncrest students attend three or four schools throughout their K-12 education, starting at Suncrest Primary School or North Elementary School, Suncrest Middle School and Morgantown High School depending on where they live.
In 2000, the White House Millennium Council designated Suncrest as a Millennium Community.
Sunnyside
Sunnyside, located just north of downtown Morgantown, is an older neighborhood adjacent to West Virginia University's downtown campus. The neighborhood, which covers 130 acres (52.6 ha), is roughly bounded by University Avenue to the east, Campus Drive to the south, the Monongahela River to the west, and 8th Street to the north. Many students live there because it is affordable and is in close proximity to campus. Since 2003, Sunnyside has been classified as a "blighted district." Sunnyside is also the scene of many off-campus parties and post-game celebrations centered on Grant Avenue.To combat the problems facing Sunnyside, the City of Morgantown and West Virginia University teamed up to establish the Sunnyside Up Project: Campus Neighborhoods Revitalization Corporation, dedicated to the redevelopment of this area. The first step was to create a comprehensive revitalization plan, which was published in Fall of 2004. The University's Summit Hall Dormitory and the new Honors Hall Dormitory are located in the southern part of the neighborhood.
First Ward
First Ward is located south of High Street in Morgantown. First Ward School was formerly located there; however, it was demolished and now the city block is a park with a playground, a pavilion, and a ball field. Also located in First Ward is White Park, which includes a variety of ball fields and a skating rink. The Wharf District is located along the west side of First Ward, on the banks of the Monongahela River. The Mountaineer Mall, Morgantown's first mall, is located in First Ward. Also located in First Ward is South Middle SchoolSouth Park
South Park is across Deckers CreekDeckers Creek
Deckers Creek is a tributary of the Monongahela River that runs through north-central West Virginia. It begins west of Arthurdale and flows southeast, then north, then northwest towards Morgantown, where it empties into the Monongahela River. The stream has been contaminated by various sources,...
from downtown Morgantown. Originally farmland, it was one of the first suburbs of Morgantown. In the early 20th century, South Park saw a housing boom, with wealthy and influential citizens settling there. The neighborhood is home to Morgantown High School, built in 1924 and was recently expanded. The neighborhood is designated a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places. Lower South Park has become a popular area for student rentals as many of the houses have been renovated to apartments. Close to downtown, it is a quick walk to many bars.
Woodburn
Woodburn was originally farmland on the hills to the east of downtown Morgantown. It encompasses the area enclosed by Richwood Avenue in the south and Willey Street in the north. Monongalia Avenue serves as the western boundary and the eastern boundary begins in the south at the intersection of Richwood Avenue and Darst Street, and continues north until Darst intersects with Willey Street at the beginning of the Mileground.While originally home to small hillside farmsteads, Woodburn in the late 19th century grew into a typical city neighborhood. Many of the street names, such as Louise Ave, James St, and Ridgeway Avenue, are named for early farm families, and many of the original farmhouses remain standing in the first decade of the 21st century. The area saw a rapid growth in population at the beginning of the 20th century as home to tinsmiths from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
who came to work in the tinplate mill that later became the Sterling Faucet plant in Sabraton. A trolley line ran the length of Richwood Avenue and originally connected downtown with Sabraton. The Welsh community was active in the Methodist Church at the intersection of High Street and Willey Street, and held picnics in Whitmore Park, the main green space in Woodburn. Many of these immigrants retained the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, and as late as the 1930s it was common to hear Welsh spoken on the streets of Woodburn and the community was known for carrying on a traditional eisteddfod every year. Woodburn Elementary School was the neighborhood school built in 1910.
Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many new families came to Woodburn, attracted by the parkland, close proximity to downtown, community atmosphere, and nearby school. Actor David Selby
David Selby
David Lynn Selby is an American character and stage actor. He has worked in movies, soap operas and television. The naturally black-headed Selby is best known for playing the roles of Quentin Collins on the ABC-TV serial, Dark Shadows , and as the evil and compassionate...
spent his childhood living in Woodburn. In 1950, Tom and Anna Torch opened the Richwood Avenue Confectionary, a corner store and lunch counter that served beer in large Weiss goblets from the Morgantown Glassworks. When they sold the operation in 1963 to Mario and Rose Spina, the establishment was nicknamed "Marios Fishbowl" in honor of the goblets.
A neighborhood newspaper was published here in the 1980s.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 26,809 people, 10,782 households, and 4,183 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,736.0 people per square mile (1,056.2/km²). There were 11,721 housing units at an average density of 1,196.2 per square mile (461.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.48% White, 4.15% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 10,782 households out of which 15.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 61.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.76.
Morgantown's age distribution, which is heavily influenced by the presence of West Virginia University, is: 11.1% under the age of 18, 44.7% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 13.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,649, and the median income for a family was $44,622. Males had a median income of $33,268 versus $24,944 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,459. About 15.0% of families and 38.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Following Census 2000, Monongalia County (with county seat Morgantown) and neighboring Preston County
Preston County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,334 people, 11,544 households, and 8,357 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 13,444 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
were acknowledged as a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) by the United States government. Estimates from 2004 put the Metropolitan Statistical Area population at 113,500; as of July 2005, the estimate was 114,501. Of the 10 largest cities in West Virginia, only Morgantown and Martinsburg
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
have shown positive population growth since the 2000 census, with Morgantown growing from 26,809 to a 2007 estimate of 29,361.
West Virginia University constitutes 913 acres (3.7 km²) of the city and vicinity, and with the fall 2005 enrollment added an additional population of 27,115 students.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Morgantown has amongst the lowest unemployment rates in the United States as of early 2009.
Education
The city is served by Monongalia County Schools. Public elementary schools in Morgantown and its surrounding area include Cheat Lake, North, Brookhaven, Ridgedale, Mountainview, Mylan Park, and Skyview. There are four middle schools: Mountaineer Middle, South, Westwood, and Suncrest. The city's two high schools are University High SchoolUniversity High School (Morgantown)
University High School is a high school located in Morgantown, West Virginia that houses just over 1,250 students. The school mascot is the hawk and the school colors are scarlet red, old gold, and black.-History:...
, the mascot of which is the Hawks, and Morgantown High School, whose mascot is the Mohigans. The latter's name is that of a non-existent Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe whose name is a combination of the words Morgantown (MO) High (HIG) Annual (AN), which was the school's yearbook. The Native American mascot and logo were adopted because of the close relation to the name Mohican
Mahican
The Mahican are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley . After 1680, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. During the early 1820s and 1830s, most of the Mahican descendants migrated westward to northeastern Wisconsin...
, a real Native American tribe. Notable Morgantown High School alumni include screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
-film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Lawrence Kasdan
Lawrence Kasdan
Lawrence Edward "Larry" Kasdan is an American film producer, director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Kasdan was born in Miami, Florida, the son of Sylvia Sarah , an employment counselor, and Clarence Norman Kasdan, who managed retail electronics stores.His Brother is the writer/producer Mark...
(class of 1966), actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Don Knotts
Don Knotts
Jesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
(class of 1942), college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden is an American football coach who served as the head coach at Clemson University from 1999 until October 13, 2008...
(class of 1972), and TV college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
analyst Terry Bowden
Terry Bowden
Terry Bowden is an American football coach at the University of North Alabama. Bowden was previously the head coach at Salem University , Samford University , and Auburn University . Bowden is the son of former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden...
(class of 1974).
As of April 2005, Monongalia County Schools employs 897 professional personnel and 490 service personnel, and carries an enrollment of 10,076 students, including 156 adult students at the Monongalia County Technical Education Center. Three of Monongalia County's 23 schools have earned Exemplary Achievement status, according to the West Virginia Office of Educational Performance Audits' (OEPA) report issued November 2004. In 2004, Suncrest Middle became a National Blue Ribbon School for the No Child Left Behind Act.
Other private schools include: Covenant Christian School, Maranatha Christian Academy, Morgantown Christian Academy, Trinity Christian School, St. Francis Elementary/Middle School, and the alternative, non-religious Morgantown Learning Academy.
Early schools
While informal schools existed from Morgantown's earliest days, the town established a one-story, coeducational, Virginia common school in July 1803, that students attended on a tuition basis. On Nov. 29, 1814, the Virginia General Assembly incorporated Monongalia Academy, the county's first public school. Supported by obligatory surveyors' fees, the male-only institution was the equivalent of a modern-day high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. The Academy moved to a new two-story building in 1830, with principal Jonathan Haddock offering courses in geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, surveying, and navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
in addition to traditional subjects. Presbyterian minister Reverend James Robertson Moore was principal during the Academy's 1852-1864 heyday, when its enrollment included students from 14 states. In 1867, the Academy closed, and donated its land toward the establishment of West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
.
The Virginia Assembly in March 1831 authorized the creation of the Morgantown Female Academy. Proceeds from the sale of the original Monongalia Academy building funded construction of a two-story school at Bumbo Lane (the modern-day Fayette Street) and Long Alley (the modern-day Chestnut Street). This school opened April 1, 1834. After the Assembly approved a charter change in 1838, the school became known as the Methodist Academy. This prompted local Presbyterians to create the Woodburn Female Seminary, for which the Monongalia Academy's Rev. Moore also served as principal. The seminary closed in 1866, and its assets, like those of the Monongalia Academy, were donated toward the future university.
Following the 1863 creation of West Virginia, the new state's first legislature created a public-school system. The act provided for the education of "free colored
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
children", and was adapted three years later to mandate education for all African-American children. However, a two-tier system was created: White children attended a regular term (at the second former Monongalia Academy building, purchased in 1867 from West Virginia Agricultural College, the future West Virginia University), only a short term was provided for African-Americans, who met at St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church, on Beechurst Avenue.
Roman Catholic schools
A Roman CatholicCatholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
, Saint Francis de Sales, began sometime prior to 1915 as a two-room school in a house on McLane Avenue in the Seneca neighborhood, and run by lay teacher Miss Sterbutsal, who became Sister M. Isabelle of the Sisters of St. Joseph. In October 1915, the pastorate of Father Peter Flynn arranged for Ursuline
Ursulines
The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
nuns from Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and in 1918, under principal Sister M. Isadore, the school moved to a new building on Beechurst Avenue, adjacent to St. Theresa's Church. On June 9, 1990, the grade school moved into the former St. Francis Central High School building, and eventually into newly built facility at 41 Guthrie Lane. Its mascot is the Falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
. The Beechurst Avenue building was demolished in 2003.
St. Francis Central High School existed for several decades on Birch Street in the Evansdale neighborhood until that campus was taken over by the elementary school on June 9, 1990. Its mascot was the Trojans
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
, and its football field was named for Father Flynn. The West Virginia University Foundation purchased its building and land in July 2003, formally selling it to WVU for $11 million in August 2004, with the university then announcing it intended to use the football and adjacent baseball fields as intramural
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
recreation area. Through January 2006, the building housed the St. Francis middle and elementary schools.
West Virginia University (WVU)
WVU is a public land-grant universityLand-grant university
Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890....
, founded in 1867. With an operating budget of approximately $654 million as of the mid-first decade of the 21st century, it also has $150 million annually in sponsored contracts and research grants conducted by faculty members.
Fall 2009 enrollment was 28,839, with students from all 55 state counties, 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and 89 other nations. 2008 Basic figures regarding the student body:
- 59% residents, 41% nonresidents
- 19,510 undergraduates
- 6,541 graduate and professional students
- 51% male, 49% female
- 7% minorities
- Students residing in University housing: approximately 5,535
The 2007-08 curriculum is supported by 14 colleges and schools offering 179 bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degree programs in the arts and sciences; business and economics; creative arts; engineering and mineral resources; human resources and education; journalism; law; agriculture, forestry, and consumer sciences; dentistry; medicine; nursing; pharmacy; physical education; plus programs at Potomac State College.
Awards
- 2010 ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
"Best Small Places For Business And Careers" #10 - 2010 "America's Top College Towns"
- 2009 ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
"Best Small Places For Business And Careers" #3 - 2008 "Best Walking City in West Virginia", "34th Best in Country" (out of 500) by Prevention magazinePrevention (magazine)Prevention is an American healthy lifestyle magazine, started in 1950, and published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The range of subjects includes food, nutrition, workouts, beauty, and cooking. It was founded by J. I. Rodale...
& American Podiatric Medical AssociationAmerican Podiatric Medical AssociationThe American Podiatric Medical Association is a professional medical organization representing Doctors of Podiatric Medicine within the United States. The organization was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Approximately 80% of podiatrists in the US are members of the APMA... - 2007 Morgantown Named One of "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by National Trust for Historic Preservation
- 2007 ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
"Best Small Places for Business and Careers" #9 - 2006 ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
"Best Small Places"#5
There are also other local quasi-newspapers such as the Post Extra and the Morgantown Times, which typically feature a few local news stories and an abundance of advertisements. Both are free of charge and mass-mailed throughout the Morgantown area.
Television
| Call sign | Channel | Description |
|---|---|---|
| KDKA-TV KDKA-TV KDKA-TV, channel 2, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. KDKA-TV broadcasts from a transmitter located in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and its studios are located in downtown Pittsburgh at Gateway Center.... |
2 | CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of... affiliate, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
| WTAE-TV WTAE-TV WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas... |
4 | ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... affiliate, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
| WDTV WDTV WDTV is the CBS-affiliated television station for North-Central West Virginia licensed to Weston. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 5 from a transmitter in an unincorporated area between Clarksburg and Arlington. The station can also be seen on Comcast, Suddenlink, and... |
5 | CBS affiliate, Bridgeport, W.Va. Bridgeport, West Virginia Bridgeport is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 7,306 at the 2000 census.The town of Bridgeport had its beginning in pre-Revolutionary War times. In 1764, John Simpson entered the area and gave his name to Simpson Creek. Bridgeport was chartered in 1816.... |
| WPXI WPXI WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the... |
11 | NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... affiliate, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
| WBOY | 12 | NBC affiliate, Clarksburg, W.Va. Clarksburg, West Virginia Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area... |
| WQED WQED (TV) WQED is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established April 1, 1954, it was the first community-sponsored television station in the United States as well as the fifth public TV station... |
13 | PBS Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia.... station, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
| WPCW WPCW WPCW is a The CW-affiliated television station for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is licensed to Jeannette. WPCW is owned by the CBS Corporation and serves as an affiliate of The CW Television Network for the television market... |
19 | CW Television Network affiliate, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
| WPMY WPMY WPMY is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, WPMY is the sister station of... |
22 | My Network TV affiliate, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
| WNPB | 24 | West Virginia Public Broadcasting Morgantown, WV |
| WVFX WVFX WVFX is the Fox-affiliated television station for North-Central West Virginia licensed to Clarksburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in an unincorporated area between Clarksburg and Arlington. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable... |
46 | Fox Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the... affiliate, Clarksburg, W.Va Clarksburg, West Virginia Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area... |
| WPGH-TV WPGH-TV WPGH-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 43 from a transmitter at its studios on Ivory Avenue in the city's Summer Hill section. The station can also be seen on Verizon FiOS and Comcast channel 7... |
53 | Fox Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the... affiliate, Pittsburgh, Penn. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States... |
Radio
| Call sign | Frequency | Format | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| WCLG WCLG (AM) WCLG is an Oldies and Classic rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Morgantown, West Virginia, serving the Morgantown, West Virginia and Monongalia County, West Virginia area. WCLG is owned and operated by Bowers Broadcasting Corporation.... |
1300 AM | Oldies Oldies Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day.... |
Bowers Broadcasting Corp. |
| WCLG | 100.1 FM | Rock Rock music Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music... |
Bowers Broadcasting Corp. |
| WAJR | 1440 AM | News News Radio News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format.... /Talk Talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live... |
West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation or WVRC is a media corporation comprising exclusively radio stations and two radio networks based in the state of West Virginia.The company is controlled by Greer Industries, and the Greer Family.-Radio markets:... |
| WVAQ WVAQ WVAQ is a Contemporary Hit Radio formatted radio station licensed to Morgantown, West Virginia, broadcasting to the North-Central West Virginia area. WVAQ is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation.... |
101.9 FM | Top 40 | West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation or WVRC is a media corporation comprising exclusively radio stations and two radio networks based in the state of West Virginia.The company is controlled by Greer Industries, and the Greer Family.-Radio markets:... |
| WWVU | 91.7 FM | Campus Campus A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings... |
West Virginia University Board Of Governors |
| WGYE WGYE WGYE is a Country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Mannington, West Virginia, serving North-Central West Virginia. WGYE is owned and operated by Burbach Broadcasting Company.-History:... |
102.7 FM | Country Country music Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... |
Burbach of de, LLC |
| WZST WZST WZST is a Hot Adult Contemporary formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Westover, West Virginia, serving the Morgantown/Fairmont area. WZST is owned and operated by Fantasia Broadcasting.Variety 101 targets Women 18-49 as part of its demographic... |
100.9 FM | Adult contemporary Adult contemporary music Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music.... |
Fantasia Broadcasting |
| WFGM-FM WFGM-FM WFGM-FM is an Oldies and Classic rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Barrackville, West Virginia, serving North-Central West Virginia area. WFGM is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation.-Call Sign History:... |
93.1 FM | Oldies Oldies Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day.... |
West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation or WVRC is a media corporation comprising exclusively radio stations and two radio networks based in the state of West Virginia.The company is controlled by Greer Industries, and the Greer Family.-Radio markets:... |
| WKKW WKKW WKKW is a Country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Fairmont, West Virginia, serving North-Central West Virginia. WKKW is owned and operated by West Virginia Radio Corporation.-History:... |
97.9 FM | Country Country music Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... |
West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation West Virginia Radio Corporation or WVRC is a media corporation comprising exclusively radio stations and two radio networks based in the state of West Virginia.The company is controlled by Greer Industries, and the Greer Family.-Radio markets:... |
| WVPM WVPM WVPM is a National Public Radio affiliated broadcast radio station licensed to Morgantown, West Virginia, serving the North-Central West Virginia area. WVPM is owned and operated by West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority.-External links:*... |
90.9 FM | Public radio | West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority |
Utilities
Electric service is provided by Mon PowerFirstEnergy
FirstEnergy Corp. , is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services...
, natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
services by Dominion Resources
Dominion Resources
Dominion Resources Inc. , commonly referred to as Dominion, is a power and energy company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia that supplies electricity in parts of Virginia and North Carolina and supplies natural gas to parts of West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and eastern North Carolina...
, and water and sewage by the Morgantown Utility Board.
Cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and cable Internet
Cable internet
In telecommunications, cable Internet access, often shortened to cable Internet or simply cable, is a form of broadband Internet access that uses the cable television infrastructure. Like digital subscriber line and fiber to the premises services, cable Internet access provides network edge...
are provided by Comcast Communications. Landline telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
and DSL services are offered by Frontier Communications (due to a recent acquisition from Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
), with West Side Telecommunications telephone and DSL service available in some areas.
Cellular telephone service is available through US Cellular, nTelos
NTelos
nTelos is a wireless telecommunications company based in Waynesboro, Virginia, United States. nTelos is a provider of PCS services to customers.- Wireless services :...
, Sprint
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
, and AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
(formerly Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless
AT&T Mobility LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T that provides wireless services to 100.7 million subscribers in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands...
). Other cellular service is available through pre-paid carriers such as Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is a brand of wireless prepay service run by Sprint Nextel, operating within the Sprint Prepaid Group along with Virgin Mobile USA, Assurance Wireless, and payLo by Virgin Mobile. Boost Mobile uses GSMand iDEN networks...
, Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is a brand used by many mobile phone service providers across the globe; its headquarters are based in the United Kingdom. Virgin Mobile has local operations in Australia, Canada, France, India, South Africa, Greece, United Kingdom and the United States. It briefly also had operations...
, Net10
Net10
NET10 is a Mobile virtual network operator which offers prepaid mobile phones , and a flat rate unlimited plan . NET10 is a brand of TracFone Wireless.NET10 uses GSM phones which support voicemail and text messaging at a minimum...
, and TracFone, which typically "piggy-back" off of Sprint's network.
Trash pickup is provided by Allied Waste Industries
Allied Waste Industries
Allied Waste Industries was a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. A vertically integrated company that owned and operated solid waste collection businesses, recycling facilities, and landfills, it was a leader in the solid waste industry in the United States...
.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Morgantown is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Guanajuato
Guanajuato, Guanajuato
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is located in a narrow valley, which makes the streets of the city narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Notable natives and residents
- Earl E. AndersonEarl E. AndersonGeneral Earl Edward Anderson , the youngest active duty Marine ever promoted to the rank of General and the second active duty Marine Naval Aviator to be promoted to a 4-star rank, became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on April 1, 1972. He was promoted to General on March 31, 1972...
, Ret. General, the youngest active-duty Marine to become General - John O. BennettJohn O. BennettJohn O. Bennett III is a former New Jersey Republican politician who served as State Senator, President of the State Senate, and Acting Governor of New Jersey during the course of his career.-Education:...
, New Jersey State Senator - Thomas Bennett U.S. Army medic and conscientious objector, awarded the Medal of Honor
- Jeff BowdenJeff BowdenJeff Bowden is an American college football coach at the University of North Alabama. He currently serves as receivers coach on his brother Terry's staff. Before that he served as the offensive coordinator for the Florida State Seminoles under his father and head coach Bobby Bowden...
, American college football coach at the University of North AlabamaUniversity of North AlabamaThe University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university.... - Terry BowdenTerry BowdenTerry Bowden is an American football coach at the University of North Alabama. Bowden was previously the head coach at Salem University , Samford University , and Auburn University . Bowden is the son of former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden...
, TV college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
analyst - Tommy BowdenTommy BowdenTommy Bowden is an American football coach who served as the head coach at Clemson University from 1999 until October 13, 2008...
, college football coach - Necro ButcherNecro ButcherDylan Keith Summers is an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Necro Butcher. Throughout the years he has worked for various promotions, including Beyond Wrestling, Firestormpro, Ring of Honor, Full Impact Pro, IWA-Mid South, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Big Japan Pro Wrestling,...
, professional wrestlerProfessional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport... - Rich BrahamRich BrahamRich Braham is a former National Football League center who played for the Cincinnati Bengals.-High school career:Braham attended University High School in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he lettered in both football and basketball...
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Marion CannonMarion CannonMarion Cannon was a United States Representative from California. He was born near Morgantown, West Virginia. He attended the district school and learned the blacksmith trade. He moved to California in 1852 and engaged in mining in Nevada County for twenty-one years. He was elected county...
, United States Representative from California - Earl Lemley CoreEarl Lemley CoreEarl Lemley Core was a botanist and botanical educator, researcher and author as well as a local West Virginia historian. He was founder of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club and editor of its journal, Castanea, for thirty-five years. He was a teacher and professor at West Virginia...
, botanist and local historian - Lowell CowellLowell CowellLowell Cowell is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. He would drive for Oldsmobile , Buick , and Chevrolet during his NASCAR career.-Summary:...
, former NASCAR Cup Series driver - Danae DeMasi, Miss West VirginiaMiss West VirginiaThe Miss West Virginia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
(2001) - John DouglasJohn Douglas (conductor)John Douglas was an American conductor, voice teacher, vocal coach, and accompanist.-Life and career:Born in Morgantown, West Virginia, Douglas graduated from Tates Creek High School in Lexington, Kentucky in 1973...
, American conductor and educator - William EasterlyWilliam EasterlyWilliam Russell Easterly is an American economist, specializing in economic growth and foreign aid. He is a Professor of Economics at New York University, joint with Africa House, and Co-Director of NYU’s Development Research Institute. He is also a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings...
American economist - Robert C. FrasureRobert C. FrasureRobert C. Frasure was an American diplomat and the first United States Ambassador to Estonia following Estonia's regained independence from the Soviet Union.-Biography:...
, first United States Ambassador to EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
following its independence from Soviet Union - Robert P. GeorgeRobert P. GeorgeRobert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, where he lectures on constitutional interpretation, civil liberties and philosophy of law. He also serves as the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions...
, founder of the American Principles Project - Linda GoodmanLinda GoodmanMary Alice Kemery popularly known as Linda Goodman was a New York Times bestselling American astrologer and poet.-Early life and background:...
, astrologer and poet - Kimberly Goodwin, Miss West VirginiaMiss West VirginiaThe Miss West Virginia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
(2005) - Alan HendersonAlan HendersonAlan Lybrooks Henderson is an American former professional basketball player of the NBA. He stands 6'9" tall. Henderson attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. They lost the Indiana State title game his senior year to Glenn Robinson's Gary Roosevelt squad...
, professional basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player - Walter HoughWalter HoughWalter Hough, Ph.D. was an American ethnologist, born at Morgantown, W. Va. He was educated at Monongalia Academy, West Virginia Agricultural College, and West Virginia University...
, former curator of the United States National Museum - Bob HugginsBob HugginsBob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
, West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
head basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach - Dwayne JonesDwayne JonesDwayne Jones is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Along with senior Jameer Nelson and juniors Delonte West and Pat Carroll, Jones was an integral part of the undefeated Saint Joseph's team during the 2004 regular season. The Hawks earned a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament...
professional basketball player - Lawrence KasdanLawrence KasdanLawrence Edward "Larry" Kasdan is an American film producer, director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Kasdan was born in Miami, Florida, the son of Sylvia Sarah , an employment counselor, and Clarence Norman Kasdan, who managed retail electronics stores.His Brother is the writer/producer Mark...
, screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
/directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... - Moses KinkaidMoses KinkaidMoses Pierce Kinkaid was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska. He was the sponsor of the 1904 Kinkaid Land Act, which allowed homesteaders to claim up to of government land in western Nebraska.-Early life and career:Kinkaid was born near Morgantown, Virginia,...
, congressman, sponsor of the Kinkaid Land ActKinkaid ActThe Kinkaid Act of 1904 is a U.S. statute that amended the 1862 Homestead Act so that one section of a township of undeveloped land could be claimed in 37 northern and western Nebraska counties... - Hoda Kotb, broadcast journalist
- Don KnottsDon KnottsJesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - John LaidleyJohn LaidleyJohn Laidley was a prominent Virginia lawyer and politician who was one of the founders of Marshall University in 1837. The part of Virginia where Marshall University is located is now part of West Virginia.-References:...
, a founder of Marshall UniversityMarshall UniversityMarshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States.... - Frank LoveceFrank LoveceFrank Lovece is an American journalist, author, comedy performer and comic book writer. He was additionally one of the first professional Web journalists, becoming an editor of a Silicon Alley start-up in 1996....
, journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... - Paul MainieriPaul MainieriPaul Mainieri is the current head coach of the LSU baseball team. Prior to that position he was the head coach of the Notre Dame baseball team from 1995–2006, the United States Air Force Academy baseball team from 1989–1994 and the St. Thomas University baseball team from 1983–1988...
, LSU baseball coach - Asra Nomani, journalist, political activist
- Francis Harrison Pierpont
- Freddy QuinnFreddy QuinnFreddy Quinn is an Austrian singer and actor whose popularity within the German-speaking world soared in the late 1950s and 1960s. Similar to Hans Albers two generations before him, Quinn adopted the persona of the rootless wanderer who goes to sea but longs for a home, family and friends...
, German film star and singer - David SelbyDavid SelbyDavid Lynn Selby is an American character and stage actor. He has worked in movies, soap operas and television. The naturally black-headed Selby is best known for playing the roles of Quentin Collins on the ABC-TV serial, Dark Shadows , and as the evil and compassionate...
, actor - Kimberley StarrKimberley StarrKimberley Starr is a novelist who moved to Australia as a young child. She began her education at the Armidale Demonstration School, moving on to Garran Primary School, and Padua Catholic High School, ACT , before completing her secondary education at Loreto Normanhurst...
, novelist - Michael TomaskyMichael TomaskyMichael Tomasky is a liberal American columnist, journalist and author. He is the editor in chief of Democracy, a special correspondent for Newsweek / The Daily Beast, a contributing editor for The American Prospect, and a contributor to The New York Review of Books.-Biography:Tomasky was born...
, journalist and author - Amy Townsend, Miss West VirginiaMiss West VirginiaThe Miss West Virginia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
(1998) - Kim WeaverKim WeaverDr. Kimberly A. Weaver is an American astrophysics astronomer and professor. Weaver is also noted for her many discoveries and professional publications. She has worked with NASA on several research projects. She is often seen on many television programs about astronomy...
, American astrophysicist - Waitman T. WilleyWaitman T. WilleyWaitman Thomas Willey was an American lawyer and politician from Morgantown, West Virginia. He represented both the states of Virginia and West Virginia in the United States Senate and was one of West Virginia's first two Senators.Willey was born in 1811, in a log cabin near the present day...
, United States senator - Michael WardianMichael WardianMichael Wardian is an American marathoner and ultra-marathoner. He won the 2008, 2009 and 2010 US 50 km championships. In 2008, he won the U.S. National 100 km championship. Wardian also is the 2007 JFK 50 Mile winner, and won the National Marathon in Washington D.C...
, marathonMarathonThe marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
er and ultra-marathoner - Allison Williams, Miss West VirginiaMiss West VirginiaThe Miss West Virginia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
(2003)
Suburbs
- Westover, West VirginiaWestover, West VirginiaWestover is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,941 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Morgantown, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Westover was incorporated on October 12, 1911...
- Star City, West VirginiaStar City, West VirginiaStar City is a small town in Monongalia County, West Virginia, in the United States. The population was 1,366 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Morgantown, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Granville, West VirginiaGranville, West VirginiaGranville is a town in Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 778 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Morgantown, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Granville is located at ....
Further reading
- History of the Making of Morgantown, West Virginia, by Callahan, James Morton (Morgantown, W.Va., West Virginia University, 1926)
- Morgantown a Bicentennial History, by West Virginia University Public History Option for the Morgantown Bicentennial Commission (Morgantown, W.Va., Monongalia Historical Society, 1985)