Parkersburg, WV

Parkersburg is a small town on the Ohio River with a primarily industrial heritage, serving as a transportation gateway between the eastern seaboard and the Midwest/Great Lakes regions. Nearby oil and gas fields supply resources to local chemical, plastics, and glass companies. DuPont, Borg-Warner, Ashland, Goodyear, Shell, and Union Carbide all produce plastics nearby. Significant numbers of smaller companies engage in glassmaking, both for commercial and artistic purposes. The cyclical economic base is diversifying somewhat with clothing and food distribution, as large companies begin to recognize the area’s access to the East Coast, Midwest, and South. Parkersburg is served by Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, with three flights a day Monday through Friday from Washington Dulles International Airport. Parkersburg is served by two major routes, Interstate 77 and US 50. There are several parks such as including Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park, Bicentennial Park, Corning Park, and Point Park.