Town of the Week

Morgantown, West Virginia; just listen in.

Morgantown, West Virginia
December 5, 1998

Where hardy pioneers once battled rugged terrain, rock climbers and mountain bikers now clamber the stone-strewn hills of West Virginia. This week's town is found at the top of the state, just south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Urban settlement here began early on with the Morgan family, credited with being the first Europeans to settle western Virginia, moving across the mountains to set down roots in what is now Morgantown. By 1785, the town was chartered and functioning as a county seat.

Today, Morgantown is best known as the home of the Mountaineers of West Virginia University. The University's Creative Arts Center houses highly-regarded west Virginia public theatre. Morgantown has a distinctive architectural charm due in large part to Elmer Jacobs, who designed more than 400 Romanesque and Queen Anne revival buildings, back around the turn of the century.

Morgantown's old post office is now the home of the Monongalia Arts Center. Most of Morgantown's downtown action occurs on or near High street. Its here where the first brewpub in the state, the West Virginia Brewing Company, is located. You'll find it where the Allegheny trail meets the Dent's run covered bridge, smack dab at the intersections of I-68 and I-79 in our town of the week, Morgantown, West Virginia.