Big Moses, West Virginia facts for kids
Big Moses is a small, unincorporated community located in Tyler County, West Virginia, United States. It's a quiet place nestled along Indian Creek. An "unincorporated community" means it's a group of homes or businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
This community got its interesting name from an important local landmark: the Big Moses oil well.
Quick facts for kids
Big Moses
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 Big Moses
Location in West Virginia
Big Moses
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Tyler |
| Elevation | 722 ft (220 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS ID | 1553897 |
Contents
Where is Big Moses located?
Big Moses is found in the state of West Virginia, which is in the eastern part of the United States. It's specifically located within Tyler County.
Tyler County's geography
Tyler County is known for its beautiful natural scenery. It has rolling hills and many creeks and rivers. Big Moses sits right alongside Indian Creek, which is a smaller waterway that flows into a larger one called Middle Island Creek.
How Big Moses got its name
The name "Big Moses" comes from an important oil well. In the past, West Virginia was a significant area for drilling for oil and natural gas.
The history of oil wells
Oil wells are drilled deep into the ground to bring up oil, which is a valuable natural resource. This oil can be refined into gasoline, plastics, and many other products we use every day. The "Big Moses" oil well was likely a very productive or well-known well in the area, important enough to give its name to the nearby community.
Life in an unincorporated community
Since Big Moses is an unincorporated community, it doesn't have its own mayor or town council. Services like roads, schools, and emergency services are typically managed by Tyler County.
What "unincorporated" means
Being unincorporated means that the community doesn't have a separate legal identity as a town or city. Residents pay taxes to the county and receive services from the county government. This is common for many smaller settlements across the United States.
