There are many traces of German immigrants
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On country roads through West Virginia
Charleston (rpo). Just a few hundred miles from the big metropolises Philadelphia, Miami or New York, the visitor is presented with a completely different picture: There are thick forests and high mountains to see in West Virginia, in the state that became world-famous through a country song.
Thick forests cover the mountains of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even black bears are said to hang around here. In rich green, rhododendron bushes shine in all shades of red. The villages and small towns on the Shenandoah River seem a bit sleepy with their classic houses, some of which date from before the American Civil War.
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The area is somehow in the middle of it on the way from north to south or vice versa and is an unknown piece of America for tourists. Country star John Denver created a monument to these thoroughfares with a world hit: the “Country Roads” he sung about lead through the American state of West Virginia and earned him the nickname “almost heaven” – almost like being in heaven.
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West Virginia is unique in the USA for its history. On June 20, 1862, the region – previously part of the state of Virginia – became the 35th state in the United States, making it the only one that owes its existence to the American Civil War.
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Since the population in western Virginia believed that they were being disadvantaged because of unequal taxation, poor representation in the US legislature, and in the distribution of public contracts, their desire for self-administration grew.
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In addition, the western part of Virginia was against the separation of the Confederate States from the beginning of the civil war and fought on the side of the Union. Therefore, the region got its own government as early as 1861, which went down in history as the “Restored Government”.
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On May 13, 1862, the Territorial Government officially applied for a state of its own, President Lincoln signed the law on December 31, 1862, and on April 20, 1863 – still celebrated today as “West Virginia Day” – Lincoln issued a proclamation through West Virginia officially became a state. Various historical routes such as the Civil War Discovery Trail commemorate the moving history of the Civil War in West Virginia.
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Visitors from Germany could unexpectedly meet namesakes in West Virginia, because many people who are called Schultz, Schroder or Heintz live here. West Virginia has had close ties with Germany since it was first settled. The result of the last census in the USA, when the largest ethnic group in the state was identified as “of German origin”, shows that the German influence is still strong.
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The Germans were among the first to settle in the Appalachian region. Most of them came to West Virginia from Pennsylvania from Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, along with Scottish and Irish immigrants. In 1732, German settlers established a place called Mecklenburg, which is now known as Shepherdstown. Numerous German influences can be found especially in the mountainous area of the Potomac Mountains and along the plain of Dolly Sods, although it is generally assumed that their name was derived from the Dahle family who once inhabited this area.
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German descendants also live in the Panhandle, the northernmost tip of West Virginia. Here the immigrants had made a name for themselves in places like Marshall, Tyler, Wetzel and Wood, above all as excellent craftsmen in glass and metalworking.
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When the state was founded, the influence of German immigrants was so great that the first constitution of West Virginia was written in German and English in 1863. The first daily newspapers of the state appeared bilingual or at least had parts in German.
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Germans played an important role in the struggle for better working conditions and in the trade union movement in the 19th and early 20th centuries, especially in the coal mines. Even today, the residents of West Virginia celebrate many holidays and cultural festivals in the traditional German way. For example, Christmas and Thanksgiving are celebrated according to German customs. There are also a large number of choral societies that meet regularly at so-called “Sanger Fests” – for example in Wheeling and Parkersburg. However, German is spoken very rarely.
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Great camping opportunities
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In addition to the history, it is primarily the scenic beauty of West Virginia, sung by John Denver, that attracts visitors. 75 percent of the area is covered by dense forests, in which there are great camping opportunities, providers everywhere lure with hikes in untouched nature, but also with adventure sports such as white water rafting, mountain bike tours and rock climbing. Every year around 250,000 adventurous people rush down the New, Gaulley, Cheat, Shenandoah and Tygart rivers in canoes or rubber dinghies on a total of 320 kilometers of whitewater stretches.
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The forests present themselves in a spectacular blaze of colors during the color of the leaves in the American “Indian Summer”. At this time, when the forests seem to be on fire because of the bright red and yellow leaves of the maple trees, thousands of townspeople are drawn to nature. The best times for this are the second half of September and the first half of October.
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And in winter, West Virginia is the best place for downhill and cross-country skiing east of the Rocky Mountains. The Allegheny Mountains in particular offer ideal conditions with long winters, deep snow and a large number of ski areas and lifts. Reason enough, then, to leave the “Country Roads” on the way from north to south or vice versa and discover West Virginia’s hidden beauties.
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