criss- crossing the mountain state was a fortuitous reality in the 1970s. Interstate 79 was completed in 1975, connecting Charleston with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and benefiting a slew of towns along the route. The New River Gorge Bridge was completed in 1977 and shortened the 40-minute route down and up through the gorge to 40 seconds straight across. This access was just what the newly minted whitewater industry needed, and rafting companies began springing up all around the area. The state also opened The Culture Center in Charleston to highlight the heritage of the state—artistically, historically, and culturally. The state Department of Commerce unveiled its “Wild, Wonderful” tourism campaign in the ’70s, showcasing mountain vistas and rushing whitewater in an attempt to lure more visitors than ever before. Families piled into their station wagons and hit the open road for wholesome summer adventures. Travel guides for the campaign followed an A-to-Z format, making it easy for potential visitors to recognize the width and breadth of all that West Virginia had to offer them for their next family road trip. West Virginia has its fair share of firsts, mosts, onlys, and biggests in the world— here are a few from the Wild, Wonderful, West 'by Gosh!' Virginia A to Z guide: First for outdoor advertising—Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company painted bridges and barns with “Treat Yourself to the Best, Chew Mail Pouch.” Mother’s Day was first celebrated in West Virginia in 1908. The first rural mail delivery took place in Charles Town in 1896.
The first state to have sales tax—1921. Largest conical-type prehistoric burial mound—Moundsville. The longest city block in the world—the 1500 block in Charleston.
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