WVU Study Predicts Massive Job Growth in Upper Ohio Valley

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Caden Grace

Not been that long?


Wheeling was powerful from 1850 through 1885 and was arguably the states most impressive economic area, But once the final move of the capitol to Charleston took place in 1885, Wheel went into a period of stunted growth that peaked around 1895 to 1900. After that Charleston replaced Wheeling as the economic center of the state and vied for that role in some industries with Huntington between 1920 and 1940. I would not call a 118 years as "...not all that long ago..."

That "stunted" growth you mentioned didn't disappear in 1990. It kept right on growing right up until the late 1970s. Wheeling - Pittsburgh and Weirton Steel were giants of industry. Both companies spawned numerous affiliated and related industries too ... tool manufacturing, pots and pans, toy manufacturing, auto parts, and the Upper OV glass plants were world renowned... Hazel Atlas, Fostoria, Imperial, etc. plus coal mines going full bore. Mail Pouch Tobacco and Marsh Wheeling Stogies employed thousands.

I definitely disagree with your comparison. When those steel mills and affiliated industries employing well over 20,000 people with the best paying jobs in West Virginia, tobacco companies, the glass factories, the toy plant were operating in the Upper Ohio Valley it was the economic powerhouse of the state. State government never paid well ... ever, although the politicos and appointees have managed to increase their take from everyone else drastically over the past 40 years. Chemical industry paid well in the Kanawha Valley, although not as well as the steel plants and it was not as labor intensive. It was in or around 1978 when industry started to depart the OV for foreign, cheaper labor countries. Until then, it was the state's cash cow, paying 5 times the amount of taxes to state government as the area received from state expenditures. There was always talk in those days of trying to secede from WV and join PA. But, I worked for the state in those days and was very familiar with both areas. Kanawha did not have the prosperity level of the Upper OV from 1900 right up until near 1980.

I was married to a Kanawha girl in those days too, so I spent a lot of time in both places. Today we share two grown children, although neither lives in West Virginia.

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Caden Grace

Not been that long?


Wheeling was powerful from 1850 through 1885 and was arguably the states most impressive economic area, But once the final move of the capitol to Charleston took place in 1885, Wheel went into a period of stunted growth that peaked around 1895 to 1900. After that Charleston replaced Wheeling as the economic center of the state and vied for that role in some industries with Huntington between 1920 and 1940. I would not call a 118 years as "...not all that long ago..."

I neglected to mention, the Upper OV has it's own chemical industry ... not as large as that in Kanawha, but significant none-the-less. PPG and Bayer (or whatever they call it now) are still major chemical producers in the area. Since the steel industry is mostly gone, those are now some of the best paying jobs.

Although I worked for many years for the State of WV, I never considered it to be a "good job" economically. It is a lot worse now than it was when I worked for them. The pay is the worst for public employees in the country (which is why I left there and worked for NY for years) and they have essentially ruined the retirement and healthcare system for state employees. I guess it is still better than call center work, but not by much.

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Caden Grace

Not been that long?


Wheeling was powerful from 1850 through 1885 and was arguably the states most impressive economic area, But once the final move of the capitol to Charleston took place in 1885, Wheel went into a period of stunted growth that peaked around 1895 to 1900. After that Charleston replaced Wheeling as the economic center of the state and vied for that role in some industries with Huntington between 1920 and 1940. I would not call a 118 years as "...not all that long ago..."

Something else ... whereas everything in the Kanawha area is reflected in any statistics there, due to state line designations things in the Northern Panhandle do not share that characteristic. Historic developments there are fully shared with Jefferson and Belmont counties across the river in Ohio, and thousands of people always lived on one side of the river and worked on the other side. The economic area there actually spanned 3 states, so it would be impossible to get a real picture of things looking at say Wheeling alone. Just sayin'. Located totally within the state, there is no doubt that Kanawha at some point rivaled the "West Virginia Side" alone. But in that region, people don't think in terms of within the state. Due to the fact that the population centers there are in different states, the area has often felt slighted by state government, so the identification is often reluctant to be recognized, resented even.

I agree with JohnNada that a certain bias exists, and also that it is in some ways unhealthy, but it doesn't take too much imagination to understand the underlying causes of it. It isn't like it is one sided. From a different perspective, it is tiresome to see our state government essentially paying for most everything that happens in some areas, but totally neglecting other areas in the process. In the northern regions, we often feel like an intentionally overlooked stepchild and look at our nearby areas in other states that receive much better treatment from their state governments. Admittedly, part of that is our own fault since we seem to habitually elect the biggest bunch of bubble headed space cadets possible to represent us down there. They either look to their own narrow special interests, or they are easy pickings for your more seasoned and effective politicians.