{"id":7483,"date":"2011-03-15T17:47:04","date_gmt":"2011-03-15T22:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/?p=7483"},"modified":"2021-10-18T06:21:34","modified_gmt":"2021-10-18T11:21:34","slug":"almost-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/almost-heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s “Almost Heaven?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We examined a song containing a blatant geographic inaccuracy in a recent article, “In Them Old Cotton Fields<\/a>.” I left a hint for readers when I stated that I too took offense at a song with an equally irritating error, one having to do with the Mountain State. Many of you probably knew the answer immediately, but to clarify it\u2019s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” performed John Denver. The offending lines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This song has become something of a cultural icon to the fine people of West Virginia. I love that state. I have no intentions of perpetuate common stereotypes because I know first-hand that those are demonstrably false. However, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River do not generally represent the topography of West Virginia. Well, except in a most extreme literal sense. Widespread adoption of this song as an unofficial state anthem can be misconstrued as evidence, intentionally or otherwise, as a smear upon the West Virginia educational system. That\u2019s a shame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let\u2019s start with the Blue Ridge Mountains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Blue<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This range stretches through several eastern states. It runs along the entire spine of neighboring Virginia and then barely straddles the farthest rim of the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. There, the border between the two states follows the ridgetop. At best, West Virginia\u2019s share of the Blue Ridge Mountains includes half<\/em> a ridge. It clips one edge of one single county of the state\u2019s 55 counties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A similar issue exists with the Shenandoah River<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"No<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nearly the entire Shenandoah River and its extended watershed remain within the confines of Virginia. A small portion crosses through West Virginia. Once again it hits at the extreme farthest edge of the Eastern Panhandle. There it empties into the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Barely Accurate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thus, except for a tiny strip of land about twenty miles long and two miles wide, the song is factually incorrect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n