Discoveries America…West Virginia 2005
Distributed by Bennett-Watt Entertainment, 13021 244th Ave. Southeast, Issaquah, Washington 98027; 800-327-2893
Produced by Bennett-Watt HD Productions, Inc.
Director n/a
DVD, color, 60 min.
Adult
American Studies, Area Studies
Date Entered: 02/28/2006
Reviewed by Lauren Aldridge, Huddleston Bolen LLP Law Library, Huntington, WVThis film showcases many of the attractions for which West Virginia is best known. Included are rock climbing at Seneca Rocks, white water rafting down the New River Gorge, craftspeople at Tamarack, Indian burial mounds at Moundsville, the Marble King Inc. marble factory in Paden City, and a coal mine operation near Beckley. Each attraction is featured just long enough to rouse your interest, but not so long as to ruin the appeal or surprise of actually seeing it for yourself.
Having grown up in West Virginia, I have visited many of these places, and the film does a good job of accurately portraying the state and its features. The directors chose a variety of locations representing nearly all portions of the state. For example, Moundsville is at the northern extreme of the state, while Beckley and most of the coal mines are in the south. Discoveries America…West Virginia is a great film to show in a West Virginia studies or history class (required in West Virginia schools) or during a unit on the 50 states.