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The
fifth and final quarter to be
released in 2005 commemorates the
State of West Virginia. On June
20, 1863, the "Mountain State" became
the 35th state to be admitted into
the Union, making this the 35th coin
to be issued in the United States
Mint’s popular 50 State Quarters®
Program. This coin captures the
scenic beauty of the State with its
depiction of the New River and the
New River Gorge Bridge. The
coin bears the inscription "New River
Gorge."
Prior to gaining
statehood, the area that is now West
Virginia formed the western part of
Virginia. Settlers in the western
part of the "Old Dominion" began
their efforts to join the federal
Union when Virginia announced its
secession in 1861. In the
western part of the State, the
Restored Government of Virginia in
Wheeling drafted a state constitution
in 1862. The new state called
West Virginia applied to Congress for
admission into the Union. Congress
approved the request with one
condition, that the new state abolish
slavery. President Lincoln signed the
West Virginia statehood bill and on
June 20, 1863, West Virginia
officially became the 35th state to
be admitted into the
Union.
The design
chosen to represent West Virginia is
one that combines the natural
physical beauty of the State and the
triumph of the human intellect
exemplified by the engineering wonder
that is the New River Gorge
Bridge. At 3,030 feet long and
69 feet wide, the bridge is the
world’s largest steel span and the
second highest bridge in the United
States, rising 876 feet above the New
River Gorge in southern West
Virginia. In 1978, 53 miles of
the New River was added to the
National Park System as the New River
Gorge National River.
For years, crossing the New River Gorge
meant long detours along narrow, winding
mountain roads. The completion of the
bridge in 1977 reduced this dangerous
40-minute trip to a smooth and scenic
one-minute drive.
On March 31, 2004, West Virginia Governor
Bob Wise announced his selection of the New
River Gorge as the design he would submit
to Treasury for final approval. The
Department of Treasury approved the design
on May 4, 2004. More than 1,800
design concepts were submitted from around
the State, and students from the Governor’s
School for the Arts narrowed the field to
five finalists. Other designs
considered included "Appalachian Warmth,"
"Bridge Day / New River Gorge," "River
Rafters," and "Mother’s Day / Anna
Jarvis."
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The scenic beauty of the New
River featuring the New River Gorge
Bridge graces the West Virginia State
Quarter.
United States Mint
image
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To
learn even more about the
State Quarters Program, please
visit,
The United States
Mint
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