Region 6 - West Virginia Department of Commerce

Community ProfilesRegion 6 - Mountaineer CountryCounties: Barbour, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia,Preston, TaylorProfileEarly 20th century and pre-war industrial townscapes, several university and college campuses, and FDR’s first resettlementcommunity are clustered in this region, side-by-side with covered bridges, Mail Pouch barns, and fabulous views. Pastoral scenes,winding country roads, and a pair of reconstructed pioneer forts provide contrast to the greatest concentration of technological talentin the state. The sprawling campus of West Virginia University along hilly terrain is a fixture throughout the entire business district andoffers the world-famous Personal Rapid Transit system. There are lakes and rivers with both whitewater and industrial traffic. TheItalian heritage of Clarksburg adds a flavor unique in the state, including a nationally popular, annual festival; family-owned pasta andcondiment production businesses; and family-owned restaurants. Fairmont is noted for being the home of the original pepperoni roll,the inaugural celebration of Father’s Day, and the 90-acre campus of Fairmont State University with gorgeous historical buildings. Theentire region is abundant with artistic, cultural, and historical enrichment opportunities as well as indoor and outdoor sports andrecreation.Connector Cities from Morgantown: Pittsburgh-70 miles; Hagerstown - 140 milesRegional Highlights• Philippi Covered Bridge, built in 1852, site of the first landbattle of the Civil War and the nation’s only covered bridgeserving a federal highway• Pricketts Fort State Park, a nationally registered historic siteoriginally built in 1774 as a refuge fort on the frontier ofVirginia and reconstructed in 1976 with costumedinterpreters recreating 18th century lifestyle throughdemonstration of colonial crafts• North Bend Rail Trail (Harrison County), the eastern end ofa 72-mile rail trail and part of the 5,500 mile coast-tocoastAmerican Discovery Trail• Forks of Cheat Winery, a Monongalia County family-ownedvineyard and winery39• Grafton National Cemetery, listed on the National Registerof Historic Places• Coopers Rock State Forest, an outdoor recreation paradisewith spectacular views from a maze of enormous bouldersand rock cliffs• Cathedral State Park, an ancient hemlock forest of majesticproportions (trees up to 90 feet in height and 21 feet incircumference) and one of the last living commemorationsof the vast virgin hemlock forest• Home to the main campus of West Virginia University