Photo by River Riders .
Eastern Panhandle
Photo by Martinsburg- Berkeley County CVB .
THINGS TO DO
The Eastern Panhandle borders many states and the nation ’ s capital and is close to landmarks and destinations such as Antietam National Battlefield and Hershey park . Of course , the Eastern Panhandle has many domestic gems of its own : the mineral spa of Berkeley Springs ; River Riders of Harpers Ferry with rafting , tubing , ziplining and an aerial adventure park ; and a geocaching tour of Berkeley County with more than 57 active caches .
West Virginia ’ s Eastern Panhandle may very well be the epitome of John Denver ’ s ode to West Virginia : it has the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River . It also has so much more .
The Eastern Panhandle , though only consisting of eight counties , totals approximately 12 % of the state ’ s population , with a total population of 261,041 as of the 2010 census . This area contains the oldest settlements of the Mountain State , as well as its oldest established counties . With cities such as Harpers Ferry , Charles Town , Berkeley Springs , Martinsburg and Shepherdstown , this area is one of the most historic and unique in the state . It is also the fastest growing and open to those who are willing to grow along with it .
A common theme throughout the Eastern Panhandle is arts and culture . From history and theatre to art galleries and antique stores , this region is the perfect place for artists and art enthusiasts alike to call home . Tourism and agriculture are the area ’ s primary industries , but commuting outside the state for work to places such as Washington , D . C ., is feasible and opens the door to many more employment opportunities .
According to data from the West Virginia Economic Outlook 2021-2025 , published by the Bureau of Business & Economic Research , the Eastern Panhandle is one of the state ’ s strongest economic regions . The Procter & Gamble facility , which opened in 2018 in Berkeley County , is continuing to hire new employees and contribute to the chemicals subsector . ROXUL is constructing a $ 150 million facility in Jefferson County . This project and the Procter & Gamble site are expected to produce an abundance of jobs in the panhandle . Additionally , Clorox announced it will build a $ 195 million facility in Berkeley County , also contributing to economic growth and opportunity .
Photo by Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB .
Pittsburgh , PA 3 HOURS
Harrisburg , PA 2 HOURS
Baltimore , MD 1.5 HOURS
CITIES :
Berkeley Springs , Charles Town , Martinsburg , Shepherdstown & Petersburg
Richmond , VA 3 HOURS
Washington , D . C . 2 HOURS
WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE