Eastern panhandle of West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eastern panhandle of West Virginia
The eastern panhandle of West Virginia (highlighted in red)
Area
• Land	3,483.66 sq mi (9,022.6 km2)
Population  (2019)
• Total	276,557
• Density	79.4/sq mi (30.7/km2)

The eastern panhandle is a special part of West Virginia. It's one of two "panhandles" in the state, which are narrow strips of land that stick out, like the handle of a pan! The other one is the northern panhandle.

This area is in the northeast part of West Virginia. It shares borders with the states of Maryland and Virginia. Sometimes, when people talk about the eastern panhandle, they are mostly thinking about Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson Counties. Berkeley and Jefferson Counties are located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Did you know West Virginia is the only U.S. state that has two panhandles?

History of the Eastern Panhandle

Many of the counties in the eastern panhandle, like Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, and Morgan, became part of the new state of West Virginia in 1863. This happened during the American Civil War. Later, in 1866, two new counties, Mineral and Grant, were created from parts of Hampshire and Hardy counties.

The eastern panhandle is home to some of West Virginia's oldest towns. Romney and Shepherdstown were officially started in 1762. The panhandle also has West Virginia's two oldest counties: Hampshire, founded in 1753, and Berkeley, founded in 1772.

Two very famous towns in West Virginia, Harpers Ferry and Charles Town, are at the eastern end of this panhandle. Harpers Ferry is actually the easternmost town in the entire state!

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which is now called CSX, runs through this area. Before 1861, Harpers Ferry had a U.S. armory, which was a factory that made weapons. A famous abolitionist named John Brown briefly took control of it during his famous raid. Because this area was so important for travel and defense, the U.S. Congress decided it should be part of West Virginia during the Civil War.

Sometimes, people have talked about some counties in the eastern panhandle rejoining Virginia. This idea came up because some people felt the state government wasn't paying enough attention to the area. In 2011, a state representative named Larry Kump tried to pass a law. This law would have let Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson Counties vote on whether to rejoin Virginia. However, the bill did not pass.

Geography of the Eastern Panhandle

The eastern panhandle has both the highest and lowest points in West Virginia! The highest point is Spruce Knob, which is 4,863 feet (1,482 meters) above sea level. It's located in Pendleton County. The lowest point is Harpers Ferry, which is only 240 feet (73 meters) above sea level, right on the Potomac River in Jefferson County.

A large natural barrier called the Allegheny Front separates this region from the rest of West Virginia. This mountain ridge also divides two major water systems: the Mississippi watershed and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The counties that are part of the eastern panhandle are:

• Berkeley
• Grant
• Hampshire
• Hardy
• Jefferson
• Mineral
• Morgan
• Pendleton County is sometimes included too.

There's a short part of West Virginia Route 9 west of Berkeley Springs. This is the only road that connects Berkeley Springs and places to its east to the rest of West Virginia without having to drive through another state.

Population and Growth

In 2010, the eight counties of the eastern panhandle had a total population of 261,041 people. This meant that about 11.75% of West Virginia's population lived in this region. Berkeley County is the most populated county in the panhandle. In 2010, it had 104,169 residents. Berkeley County is also home to the panhandle's largest city, Martinsburg, which had 17,227 people in 2010.

Housing Growth

The eastern panhandle is the fastest-growing part of West Virginia when it comes to population and new homes. In 2005, the United States Census Bureau looked at the top 100 counties for housing growth. Berkeley County was 86th in the entire country! It grew by 3.95 percent in just one year. Jefferson County was close behind, ranking 88th in the nation, with a growth of 3.94 percent. This shows that many new people are choosing to live in this area.

Largest Towns and Cities

Most of the new homes being built in the eastern panhandle are actually outside the official city and town limits. This means their populations aren't counted in the city's official numbers.

Here are some of the largest towns and cities in the eastern panhandle, based on the 2010 census:

Statistical Areas

Some counties in the eastern panhandle are part of larger "statistical areas." These are ways the government groups together cities and their surrounding areas that are connected by things like jobs and commuting.

County Information

Here's a quick look at the counties in the eastern panhandle:

Places of Worship and Learning

Hampshire County has two special places for religious learning:

• The Buddhist Bhavana Society Forest Monastery and Retreat Center in High View.
• The Global Country of World Peace's Transcendental Meditation Learning Center and Retreat in Three Churches.

Potomac Highlands

The counties of Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton are also part of another geographical area in West Virginia called the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.