History of Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia|Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA and founded on April 4, 1838. The population was estimated to be 17,254 by the US Census Bureau in 2005 according to the censtats.census.gov website. Early in its history, the town was known as Beckleyville and Raleigh Court House. The city is sometimes called the "Smokeless Coal Capital" "The City of Champions" and the "Gateway To Southern West Virginia." The population of the Beckley area is roughly 77,000 including Raleigh County and parts of Fayette County. It is the county seat of Raleigh County, West Virginia|Raleigh County{{GR|6}}.
Beckley was named in honor of John James Beckley, who was the first Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress. It was founded by his son Alfred Beckley (US Army general and confederate militia commander, born in Washington, D.C.). The current mayor (2007) is Emmett S. Pugh, III.
Beckley is home to one of the busiest Wal-Mart locations in the United States as has been brought to the attention of the associates of the original supercenter in the area. Wal-Mart has recently opened a new superstore roughly 4 miles from their existing location. Additionally, in 2004, Wal-Mart Stores opened a Sam's Club.
Beckley is well known for two major tourist attractions: The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine (closed for renovations through the 2007 season) and Tamarack (WV)|Tamarack. The Exhibition Coal Mine is a preserved coal mine that offers daily tours and a history lesson on coal mining in Appalachia. Tamarack, originally built at a cost of $10 Million and dedicated to former Governor Gaston Caperton, is the home to many artisan crafts from around West Virginia.
Beckley has been the subject of intense growth along Eisenhower Drive/US 19. This growth has led to increasing traffic problems which the city is attempting to alleviate by building the "Z" way, which would bypass major congestion. The amount of growth the city has experienced has also led to Beckley/Raleigh County considering the formation of a Metro Government which could potentially reduce government operation overhead. The city is the regional hub for over 200,000 Southern West Virginia residents. It is the eighth largest city in West Virginia, suceeded by Fairmont and followed by Clarksburg.
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