Respect for the Eastern Panhandle

Respect for the Eastern Panhandle The Eastern Panhandle is the economic engine of West Virginia. This page celebrates the economic diversity of our area. Schools struggle for resources.

West Virginia’s statewide population will decline over the next several years. West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics forecasts significant reductions over the next two decades. Kanawha County will lose up to 10 percent of its population, while the Northern Panhandle and southern coal counties face losses greater than 10 percent. Industries that have been the backbone of econ

omic growth for decades face uncertain futures brought about by national policy shifts. Transportation needs are altered as populations fluctuate. There is no doubt that the social and economic landscape is shifting within our mountain state. Only eight of our 55 counties will see modest population growth, while three (two of which are in the Eastern Panhandle) will see population increases greater than 20 percent. The Eastern Panhandle’s share of statewide population will grow faster than any other region, growing at twice the rate of the areas around Morgantown — the only other region to see growth. The Eastern Panhandle has assets attractive to industry and recently landed major employers. Macy’s 1.2-million-square-foot distribution center opened in Martinsburg in 2012, employing up to 1,200 people. Procter & Gamble is building a 1-million-square-foot plant in Berkeley County, bringing up to 1,500 construction jobs, a $500 million investment and more than 700 full-time jobs. These employers invest directly in West Virginia — the first major P&G construction contract was awarded to a Grant County firm and brings millions of dollars to that region. The Eastern Panhandle is becoming the economic engine of West Virginia. More job creators can and will be attracted to the area, but not without serious consideration of important policy issues. This page celebrates the economic diversity of the Eastern Panhandle.

The Hardy County Courthouse in Moorefield. Hardy County was formed in 1786 from Hampshire County. The first permanent ...
05/04/2017

The Hardy County Courthouse in Moorefield. Hardy County
was formed in 1786 from Hampshire County. The first permanent settlements were established in the 1730s.

Completed in 2003, the Clifford Hollow Bridge opened an additional 13.2 mile section of Corridor H in the Eastern Panhan...
05/02/2017

Completed in 2003, the Clifford Hollow Bridge opened an additional 13.2 mile section of Corridor H in the Eastern Panhandle near Moorefield.

West Virginia's segment of Corridor H crosses very mountainous terrain, some of the most rugged in the eastern United States and crosses two major rivers. There are more than 1000 historic structures, five historic districts, two Civil War battlefields and other archaeological sites within five miles (8 km) of Corridor H, and the highway will cross through two national forests. There are over 50 species of plants and animals that are protected under the Endangered Species Act and more than 150 native trout streams, thousands of acres of wetlands and high mountain bogs, areas of karst terrain, abandoned coal mines and numerous recreational facilities within the Corridor H study area. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_48)

The Eastern Panhandle will soon be home to one of the largest new manufacturing facilities in the nation. Site preparat...
08/22/2016

The Eastern Panhandle will soon be home to one of the largest new manufacturing facilities in the nation. Site preparation for the Procter & Gamble facility is well under way. (Photo courtesy of Ken Reed.)

The Tabler Station facility will be Procter & Gamble’s 26th plant in the U.S. It has 130 plants in 40 countries. It’s the first P&G manufacturing plant to be built in the U.S. in more than 30 years.

A Civil Air Patrol flight takes off from KMRB in Martinsburg, with a C-17 from the 167th Air Lift Wing in the background...
06/07/2016

A Civil Air Patrol flight takes off from KMRB in Martinsburg, with a C-17 from the 167th Air Lift Wing in the background.

KMRB has the longest runway (8,815 ft) of any airport in West Virginia, and sees an average of 144 aircraft operations per day (Source: http://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/airportdata_5010/menu/).

Handcrafted birdhouses, decorated with antique brass clock parts, reside in a Berkeley County garden.The crafts industry...
05/30/2016

Handcrafted birdhouses, decorated with antique brass clock parts, reside in a Berkeley County garden.

The crafts industry directly contributes more than $54 million to the West Virginia economy annually*. Craft fairs, such as Jefferson County's Heritage Arts & Crafts Festival, are a major draw for out-of-state visitors.

*Source: wvculture.org/arts/craftsstudy.html

Judge Christopher Wilkes, chairman of the WV Business Court Division, provides insight from West Virginia's successful p...
05/27/2016

Judge Christopher Wilkes, chairman of the WV Business Court Division, provides insight from West Virginia's successful program to Maryland officials and national legal experts at the Business & Technology Case Management Program Symposium in Baltimore.

West Virginia's Business Court, a Division within West Virginia’s Judiciary designed to handle complex commercial litigation between businesses, is headquartered in the Eastern Panhandle.

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg is the third-fastest growing college in the nation, and is a m...
05/25/2016

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg is the third-fastest growing college in the nation, and is a major partner in bringing employers to West Virginia.

Every county in the Eastern Panhandle dramatically outperforms the state average in the percentage of high school students entering college. (Source: CTCS of WV Fall 2014 report)

Pattersons Drug Store in downtown Martinsburg has been in operation since 1926.3,830 individuals in the Eastern Panhandl...
05/18/2016

Pattersons Drug Store in downtown Martinsburg has been in operation since 1926.

3,830 individuals in the Eastern Panhandle own and work in their own business, significantly more per capita than the rest of the state. (Source: US Census Bureau 2014 Economic Data)

The sun rises behind the railroad roundhouse in Martinsburg. The roundhouse was constructed in the 1840s, destroyed by ...
05/15/2016

The sun rises behind the railroad roundhouse in Martinsburg. The roundhouse was constructed in the 1840s, destroyed by Stonewall Jackson during the civil war, and rebuilt beginning in 1866.

Tourism brings $1.116 billion annually to the Eastern Panhandle, and supports 9,800 jobs (WV Commerce Report, 2012 numbers).

The first passenger train arrived in Martinsburg WV in November of 1842. Nearly 500 commuters travel from West Virginia...
05/14/2016

The first passenger train arrived in Martinsburg WV in November of 1842. Nearly 500 commuters travel from West Virginia to the DC Capitol Region each weekday, with the majority boarding here at the Caperton Station.

The Allmine asphalt plant was the first tenant at the Tabler Station industrial park. The plant - one of the largest of...
05/14/2016

The Allmine asphalt plant was the first tenant at the Tabler Station industrial park. The plant - one of the largest of its kind in the Eastern US - utilizes used motor oil in its products.

There are 38,759 miles of public roads in West Virginia (1). The state Department of Transportation Division of Highways operates on a $1.14 billion annual budget (2).

(1) 2014 Public Certified Mileage
(2) WV DOH 2015 Final Financial Statement

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Martinsburg, WV
25401–25405

Telephone

304 268-7225

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