Statehood The 35th state June 20, 1863 Captial Charleston State Motto Mountaineers are always free Origin of State Name The state was part of Virginia until the American Civil War (1861-1865). State Nickname The Mountain State West Virginia lies in the heart of the Appalachian Highlands. Interesting Facts West Virginia is one of the nation's leading producers of bituminous coal and is also noted for the manufacture of fine glass. In 1859 abolitionist John Brown led a raid on a national armory at Harpers Ferry in an attempt to secure weapons for a planned slave rebellion. Adena burial mounds are the largest example of the distinctive constructions created by Native American mound builders.