West Virginia’s official nickname is “The Mountain State” due to its section of the Allegheny Mountains. It is also known as “The Switzerland of America” for its scenic beauty. Its state motto, “Montani Semper Liberi,” means “Alpinists are always free.” The state seal depicts a mountain scene with the New River Gorge Bridge. West Virginia has three official state songs, including “The West Virginia Hills.”
West Virginia has three recognized nicknames, but only one of them, “The Mountain State,” is official, following its adoption by state legislators. The nickname comes from the fact that the state is home to a section of the Allegheny Mountains. The Allegheny Mountains comprise just over 10 percent of the Mountain State’s land area. Settlers began populating the mountains in the mid-1700s. No fewer than seven recreation areas dot the landscape, including Monongahela National Forest.
The beauty of the mountains has also given rise to a second nickname, “The Switzerland of America”. At one time, other states were also called by this unofficial nickname because of their mountains, including Maine, New Hampshire and Colorado. West Virginia’s third nickname is “The Panhandle State,” so named because of the panhandle-shaped portion in the east that extends between Maryland and Virginia.
As befits the Mountain State, the West Virginia state district depicts a mountain scene, with the New River Gorge Bridge in the foreground. The designers chose this scene because it represents the beauty found in the Mountain State. The bridge, construction completed in 1977, gave a much-needed transportation boost to travelers looking to traverse perilous mountain roads. The bridge cut the travel time along these narrow streets from 40 minutes to one minute. It is the largest steel bridge in the world, nearly 70 feet (21.33 meters) wide and more than 3,000 feet (914.4 meters) long. It is the second tallest span in the country.
The mountains that gave West Virginia its Mountain State nickname also influenced its state motto. The Latin motto Montani Semper Liberi translates into English as “Alpinists are always free”. The motto, which is displayed on the state seal, received official approval in 1863.
The Mountain State also has three official state songs, one of which drew inspiration from topography when it was written in 1885: “The West Virginia Hills.” It received legislative approval in 1961. The popularity of “The West Virginia Hills” led to it being sung often at public services before legislators officially adopted it, with lyrics written by Ellen King and music composed by H. E. Engle. The other two official songs are “West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”, composed in 1947, and “This is My West Virginia”, composed in 1962.
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