Morgantown has an excellent school system for students of all ages and abilities. There are 10 elementary schools, 4 middle schools and 2 high schools, as well as special educational services for the disabled and impaired. There are also private school options if preferred. Many opportunities for higher education are available in Morgantown and in the surrounding areas. The state’s largest institution of higher education, West Virginia University, is the heart of Morgantown. With an annual student enrollment of 21,500 students, WVU offers 169 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degree programs. The West Virginia Junior College, located in downtown Morgantown, provides training in many technical fields. Fairmont State College, located approximately 25 miles from Morgantown, offers a wide variety of undergraduate degrees and curriculum for pre-professional studies.

In addition to academic excellence, Morgantown offers many unique forms of recreation and leisure. The most recent recreational attractions, the Rail/Trail programs, are former railroad lines that have been converted to paved trails. They are perfect for rollerblading, biking, running or for taking a leisurely stroll. Along the Monongahela River is the 8-mile long Caperton Trail. Running within the city limits, the trail passes through the Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, which features an open-air amphitheater. The Decker’s Creek Trail begins just past the Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park and runs southeast, parallel to Decker’s Creek, into Reedsville. This trail is a 1,800-foot incline over 18 miles. There are six city parks covering 272 acres in Morgantown, two municipal swimming pools, and an ice-skating rink with hockey teams for all ages. In the summer months, the ice skating facility is used for basketball, roller-skating and teen dances. The area also has several golf courses, and the Cheat River provides 1,800 acres of water for boating, swimming and fishing during the spring and summer. The Cheat, as well as other nearby rivers, offers some of the best white water rafting in the country. The Core Arboretum near WVU’s Evansdale Campus gives you accessibility to hiking trails as well as to numerous species of trees, shrubs and wildflowers. The largest forest in West Virginia, Cooper’s Rock State Forest, is also a beautiful scenic area with something for everyone including hiking, hunting, fishing and picnicking. Many of the area parks are open for excellent skiing and other winter activities.

A variety of cultural events take place in Morgantown year round. West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts, the West Virginia Public Theatre, and the Monongalia Arts Center present an array of concerts, art exhibits by local and national artists, comedies, dramas and musicals. The Monongalia Arts Center also gives classes and workshops for people of all ages. Subjects range from dance to papermaking. Area-wide festivals occur throughout the year. The Wine and Jazz Festival features a sampling of wines from West Virginia Wineries along with jazz music by local performers and artwork and food from area artisans and restaurants. The Arts and River Festival is held in the Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park and features artwork, entertainment and food. The annual Mountaineer Balloon Festival is a beautiful simultaneous release of 50 hot air balloons in conjunction with many outdoor activities, many especially arranged for children.

More information and more detail on Morgantown, West Virginia and West Virginia University can be obtained from one of the following links:

• www.morgantown.com
• www.mgnchamber.org
• www.wvu.edu
• www.state.wv.us