Introduction

The 300-foot-high dome of the State Capitol thrusts its golden presence over this former frontier settlement on the Kanawha River where Daniel Boone lived. The Charleston area is a mainstay of the nation's chemical industry. Tour the State Capitol, planned by architect Cass Gilbert and completed in 1932. The Cultural Center houses the state museum, reference and archive libraries, a theater, exhibits, and special events. Sunrise Museum in two historic mansions includes an art museum, a science hall, and a planetarium. See greyhounds race at Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center or take a sternwheeler cruise.

Charleston is also a town of chemical giants, notably Union Carbide and DuPont, whose plants fill much of the downtown area and for long have been filled with area workers.