Morgantown, WV City Description
Morgantown is a city of 28,000 residents located along the Pennsylvania border in the north central part of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County, population 82,000, and is home to West Virginia University, the largest institution of higher education in the State, with an annual enrollment of 25,000 students at its Morgantown campus. Morgantown is the medical, cultural, and commercial hub of the region. The city’s population nearly doubles from August to May when classes are in session at WVU.
Voted the best small city in America by BizJournals.com, and the best small city east of the Mississippi River and third best small city in America by Prometheus Books, greater Morgantown provides the perfect blend of small-town hospitality with a sophisticated flair, set against a landscape of unparalleled beauty. Former railroad lines, converted to recreational trails, are among Morgantown’s most recent tourism developments. The Caperton Trail follows the Monongahela River for eight miles of paved surface perfect for rollerblading, strolling and biking. Located within the city limits, the trail runs through Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, which also features an open-air amphitheater. The Decker’s Creek Trail offers an 1,800 foot incline over 18 miles. It begins at Hazel Ruby McQuain-Riverfront Park and runs southeast, parallel to Decker’s Creek, into Reedsville.
The ever changing population of students keeps the city vibrant. The diversity of cultures is evident in the restaurant choices available in the area, which range from Malaysian and Japanese, to Indian, Italian, Mexican and vegetarian cuisine. Cultural opportunities include West Virginia Public Theater, Monongalia Arts Center, and lectures and performances at WVU’s Creative Arts Center.
Sports fans will love the fact that Morgantown is the home of the West Virginia University Mountaineers, and boasts Division I collegiate athletic teams in 16 varsity sports. The WVU campus includes a football stadium with a capacity of nearly 65,000 and a basketball coliseum that seats more than 14,000.
On the calmer side are the area’s scenic wonders. Just a few miles east of Morgantown is the beautiful Cooper’s Rock State Forest, the largest forest in West Virginia. Just five miles from Morgantown lies 1,800 acre Cheat Lake, which provides area residents and visitors with a host of recreational opportunities.
Morgantown is one of the major growth areas in the State. Monongalia County was the only north central county to realize population growth for the last 20 years, and is one of the fastest growing counties in the State.
Business growth opportunities abound in Morgantown. Forbes ranked Morgantown 9th for the Best Place for Business and Careers. Within a 500-mile radius of Morgantown is one-half of the population of the United States and one-third of the population of Canada. Morgantown is one day’s drive from 6 of the 8 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, 20 metro areas with populations of 1 million or more, and 22 of the nation’s top 35 industrial markets.
