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The county seat of Raleigh County, Beckley, WV, (map (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Beckley&state=WV&lat=37.7781&lon=-81.1883)) was originally incorporated in 1838, and named by General Alfred Beckley for his father, John Beckley, clerk of the House of Representatives during the administrations of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson, and first librarian of Congress. Alfred Beckley was born on Capitol Hill, Washington City, MD, (later Washington, D.C.) on May 26, 1802, and is buried in Wildwood Cemetery (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/Historic-Beckley,-WV), located near the center of the present-day Beckley. (See article: Alfred Beckley: History of Raleigh County.)
Beckley is the eighth-largest city in West Virginia and is the retail and commercial center of Southern West Virginia. Many shopping centers and retail areas are located in and near Beckley. Interstate 64 (I-64) and Interstate 77 (I-77) meet at Beckley. The greater Beckley area is experiencing residential growth as a result of the region's great natural beauty, though the city itself is suffering from sprawl and unrestricted development.
Lodging:
Beckley, WV Hotels (http://www.wvexplorer.com/Beckley_WV_Hotels.asp) |
Weather:
Beckley, WV (http://www.wvwebsites.com/cgi-bin/weather2/hw3.cgi?theme=default&user=default&forecast=zandh&state=wv&place=beckley) |
Real Estate:
Beckley, WV Real Estate (http://www.newriverwv.com/Real_Estate_Beckley_WV.php) |
Beckley, WV
The City of Beckley, the largest city in southern West Virginia, serves a market area of more than 200,000 persons. Interstates I-77 and I-64 converge at Beckley, WV with the U.S. Route 19 (US-19) expressway.
Beckley, WV is located about: 25 miles south of Fayetteville, WV; 50 miles west of Lewisburg; 50 miles north of Bluefield, WV; 55 miles southeast of Charleston, WV.
Tourism contributes to the Beckley economy, through hotel lodging in and near Beckley, which is nearly surrounded by state parks and National Park Service (NPS) units, including those of the New River Gorge National River and Bluestone National Scenic River. Beckley real estate also benefits from its situation in a beautiful wooded environment, though the city itself suffers from poor land managament and some of the worst sprawl documented in West Virginia. Many trees in Beckley neighborhoods are being killed by tree topping, a practice that devalues property, creating brushy areas, and increasing the city's heat index. The city has constructed a paved biking and walking trail on a former railroad grade that skirts the western and northern city, a convenient conveyance enjoyed by many residents of West Beckley. This successful greenspace provides an important pedestrian route between Beckley and its northern commercial retail district.
Airports
Raleigh County Memorial Airport, located one mile from Interstate 64 (I-64) in Beaver, WV.
Map (http://www.wvamaps.com/airports/index.php?place=Beckley&state=WV&lon=-81.1883&lat=37.7781&pop=17254&county=Raleigh&elev=2416) showing location public and private heliports and airports in/near Beckley, WV.
Attractions
Beckley lies at the center of a very large tourist market fueled by the region's parks and national parklands. Most local attractions are located outside Beckley, and a list of them follow, though three major attractions are located within Beckley.
The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine (http://www.wvepostcards.com/beckley-exhibition-mine/), at New River Park (http://www.wvbridgeday.com/parks/) provides tours of a historic coal mine tunnelled beneath the City of Beckley. Guided tours on period "mancars" are offered April through November while group tours are available by reservation in the winter.
New River Park (http://www.wvbridgeday.com/parks/), the largest of five municipal parks in Beckley, serves as a popular recreational facility for Beckley residents and includes a playground, picnic areas, a baseball diamond, a woodland walking trail, game courts for tennis and basketball, and a swimming pool with waterslide. A small full-service campground, the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine (http://www.wvepostcards.com/beckley-exhibition-mine/) complex, and the Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia are also located within the park.
Tamarack, West Virginia's premier showcase for fine arts, is located in Beckley, off Interstate 77 (I-77) exit 42. Thousands of travelers visit this unique Appalachian cultural complex every year. West Virginia handcrafts and Appalachian cuisine are available for purchase. Tamarack is conveniently located for travelers in Beckley's hotel and restaurant district at I-77 exit 44.
Wildwood, (c. 1835), home of Beckley-founder Alfred Beckley (http://www.wvexp.com/index.php/General_Alfred_Beckley), has been restored to its late historical appearance and is open for tours. Wildwood Cemetery (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/Historic-Beckley,-WV), where Beckley was buried, is located across South Kanawha Street (originally the first route through the area), but the historical view from Wildwood to the cemetery has been obliterated by the Memorial Baptist Church complex and several private residences.
Other Attractions near Beckley, WV
The New River Gorge National River (http://www.newriverwv.com), West Virginia's most popular outdoor-recreation destination, is located to the north and east of Beckley. Several popular hiking trails, campgrounds, fishing areas, and natural and cultural landmarks are located with the parkland, which is administered by the U.S. National Park Service.
Winterplace Ski Resort (http://www.skiingwv.com/winterplace), West Virginia's most accessable ski resort, is located just off I-77 between Beckley and Bluefield, WV, and attracts hundreds of thousands of skiers from throughout the southeastern U.S.
Little Beaver State Park, east of Beckley off Interstate 77 (I-77), is a popular local-use park which includes hiking trails, an exercise trail, picnic shelters, and Little Beaver Lake, a popular, stocked fishery.
The Outdoor Dramas (http://www.newriverwv.com/Arts_Outdoor_Dramas.php) near Beckley at Grandview -- "Honey in the Rock" and "Hatfields and McCoys" -- have been performed since the early 1970s under the summer stars at the Cliffside Amphitheatre, off Interstate 64 (I-64), part of the New River Gorge National River. Many now-famous singers, dancers, and theatricians have performed on the Cliffside stage over the decades.
Hospitals
Beckley is the medical center of southern West Virginia. Five hospitals operated in Beckley until the mid-1990s -- Beckley Hospital, Raleigh General Hospital, Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital, and the Beckley Veteran's Administration Medical Center. Beckley Hospital was purchased and combined with Raleigh General Hospital.
Beckley ARH Hospital (http://www.arh.org/beckley/) : Beckley VA Medical Center (http://www.va.gov/sta/guide/facility.asp?ID=13) : Raleigh General Hospital (http://www.raleighgeneral.com/)
Historic Sites
Beckley's historic sites, including those in the Beckley Courthouse Square National Historic District, are largely in danger of destruction for new development, while many standing structures in the district have been improperly altered by private landowners and the City of Beckley itself. State government officials have warned the city that national register status could be revoked if the city continues to neglect federal regulations controlling the district. (See: Historians warn Beckley (http://www.nativewv.com/shpo-threatens-to-delist-beckley-wv/).)
Among the sites successfully preserved outside the district are town-founder Alfred Beckley's home, Wildwood (c. 1838), and the original Beckley family cemetery, Wildwood Cemetery, located across the street. Unfortunately the Memorial Baptist Church and its gymnasium have obscured the historic view from home to cemetery. The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, a major city tourist attraction, is a National Historical Landmark located at New River Park, a municipal park. Several endangered historical structures, including a representative church, schoolhouse, and miner's residence, have been rescued from coal towns beyond the city and rebuilt near the mine entrance.
Raleigh County Historic Landmarks -- Beckley (http://www.raleighcountylandmarks.org/gallery/Beckley-WV)
Libraries
Located in Beckley, at 221 N. Kanawha Street, the Raleigh County Public Library notably contains many volumes of state and Beckley area history. The library also operates branches at Sophia, Marsh Fork, and Shady Spring.
Raleigh County Library (http://rcpl.lib.wv.us/) : Interactive street map (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Raleigh%20County%20Public%20Library&state=WV&lon=-81.1875&lat=37.78&pop=0&county=Raleigh&elev=0&scale=3) showing location of Raleigh County Library in Beckley, WV
Media
Beckley is the media center of southern West Virginia. Most of southern West Virginia's radio stations and its largest Internet and newspaper media sources are based in Beckley.
Internet Media
Internet Media (http://www.newriverwv.com/Society_and_Community_News_Media.php) based in the Beckley, WV, region
Newspapers
Newspapers (http://www.newriverwv.com/Society_and_Community_News_Media_Newspapers.php) serving the Beckley, WV, region
Radio Stations
Radio stations (http://www.newriverwv.com/Society_and_Community_News_Media_Radio.php) broadcasting in the Beckley, WV, region
Radio History: WJLS, the first radio station in Beckley, went on the air in 1939. WVPB radio, the first public radio station in West Virginia, began broadcasting from Beckley on May 1, 1974.
Television (TV) Stations
Television (TV) stations (http://www.newriverwv.com/Society_and_Community_News_Media_Television.php) serving the Beckley, WV, region
Photos
Photos of Beckley, WV, are easy to find on line. Several historical collections of Beckley photos are available in book form through Beckley Newspapers and other private sources and at the Raleigh County Public Library. Beckley's many woodlots provide a scenic backdrop to the lives of its inhabitants.
Beckley, WV Photo Gallery (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/Beckley-WV) : Beckley, WV e-Postcards (http://www.wvepostcards.com/beckley/)
Schools
Beckley is the home of Mountain State University (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Mountain%20State%20University&state=WV&lon=-81.1839&lat=37.7756&pop=0&county=Raleigh&elev=0&scale=3), originally chartered as Beckley College in 1933. The institution was briefly known as the College of West Virginia in the late 1990s. Appalachian Bible College, a private non-demoniational Christian academy, is located in nearby Bradley, WV.
Raleigh County Schools (http://boe.rale.k12.wv.us/) : Map (http://www.wvamaps.com/schools/index.php?place=Beckley&state=WV&lon=-81.1883&lat=37.7781&pop=17254&county=Raleigh&elev=2416)
Additional Information
Additional information about Beckley, West Virginia (WV), and the New River Gorge region is available through NewRiverWV.com.
Beckley, West Virginia (http://www.newriverwv.com/Society_and_Community_Cities_and_Towns_Beckley.php)
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Maps
 (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Beckley&state=WV&pop=17254&county=Raleigh&lat=37.7781&lon=-81.1883&elev=2416)
Map of Beckley, WV (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Beckley&state=WV&pop=17254&county=Raleigh&lat=37.7781&lon=-81.1883&elev=2416) showing streets and highways, and nearby airports, parks, buildings, churches, cemeteries, trails and other points of interest, with link to driving directions.
Topo map (http://www.wvexp.com/Topo_Maps_WV/index.php?title=Beckley&lat=37.779764&lon=-81.183193) of Beckley, WV and vicinity
Census Data
Population: 17,254
(2000 Census (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=05000US54107&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US54%7C05000US54107&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=beckley&_state=04000US54&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on))
Housing Units: 8,731
Geodata
Elevation: 2416 feet
Latitude: 37.779764
Longitude: -81.183193
Photos
 (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/Uptown-Beckley,-WV)
Uptown Beckley, WV (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/Uptown-Beckley,-WV)
 (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/beckley-depots/beckley_station4_500)C&O Station - Beckley, WV (http://www.newriverwv.com/gallery/beckley-depots/beckley_station4_500) |
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