Jay Rockefeller: “Today is a special day: one which is special to me and the nearly 2 million residents of the State of West Virginia. On…”

“Today is a special day: one which is special to me and the nearly 2 million residents of the State of West Virginia. On this day in 1863 West Virginia entered the Union as the 35th State. West Virginia is America. West Virginia is a place where people are proud of who they are and not what they have. It is a place where neighbor helping neighbor means something. Where community, faith, and family are not taken for granted. The area now known as West Virginia was originally settled thousands of years ago by Native Americans. The 17th and 18th centuries saw the first pioneering European settlers who came across the Appalachians looking for an expansive new homestead. The 19th century saw America's darkest hour in the Civil War. But, it was in this conflict that Western Virginia separated from Virginia standing on its own, faithful the Union, and earning statehood. From that day to today, West Virginia has been an important part of America. Our coal powers America. Our steel built America's cities from the ground up. Our timber built America's homes. Our chemical industry has improved the quality of life for all Americans. And yet today, it is another resource, West Virginia's most precious one, this is driving a new generation of West Virginians. West Virginia is home to some of the most pristine natural beauty in our Nation.”