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GREEN BANK, WEST VIRGINIAGreen Bank is a small unincorporated community nestled in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. As part of the larger community of Pocahontas County, which lies on the mid-Eastern border between West Virginia and Virginia, Green Bank enjoys all the benefits of a stunning country landscape and quiet country life while only a few hours drive from major metropolitan centers. 
HistoryPocahontas County derives its name from the legend of the American Indian woman with whom John Smith fell in love. Green Bank is named for the lush green banks of Deer Creek which runs along the foot of Little Mountain. Still one of the wildest landscapes in the east, this area's history is characterized by hardship and grit. The state's history is of rugged mountain men hunting and trapping for survival. In 1861, Green Bank was subject to two Civil War campaigns lead by Gen Robert E Lee, the Cheat Mountain campaign and the battle of Droop Mountain. The county experienced tremendous growth in the early 1900s during the logging industry boom that created the Cass Railroad. Demographics and WeatherGreen Bank's population is complemented by the total Pocahontas County population of 9,200. Bald Knob, in Pocahontas County, is the second highest elevation in the state. The Green Bank area enjoys typical inland Allegheny weather with 70.9 average temperature in July and a 30.8 average in January, as well as 45 inches average annual rainfall and 76 inches average snowfall. $$$ (Cost of Living, Taxes, Employment)The cost of living in Green Bank is low at about 90% of the national average. Residents are subject to a state income tax and personal property taxes. The annual real estate tax on a home valued at $150,000 in Pocahontas county would be about $630. There is a 6% retail sales tax. The top five employers in the county are Snowshoe Resort, Pocahontas County Board of Education, Silver Creek Resort, Interstate Hardwoods, and NRAO. 
Education and Medical FacilitiesThe local school (surrounded by the NRAO facilities) is the Green Bank Elementary/Middle School (GBEMS), with which the NRAO holds an educational partnership. The GBEMS houses 365 students, with a pupil/teacher ratio of 12:1, and provides 27 different areas of instruction. The GBEMS was one of ten Apple Grant recipients in the U.S. The one high school in the county is located approximately 20 minutes south of the NRAO site. NRAO is the Business Partner with the local high school, one of five schools in the state to receive the prestigious Gold Star Education award in 1999. Among the state institutions of higher learning are West Virginia University, located in Morgantown, Marshall University in Huntington, and WV University Institute of Technology. The closest colleges are Bluefield State, Lewisburg Campus, about 60 miles south, and Davis and Elkins College, about 50 miles to the north. Health care in Green Bank is provided by a number of local physicians. The nearest hospitals are in Marlinton and Elkins. RecreationGreen Bank and the surrounding area are known for their abundant wildlife and hiking trails. Many people visit Pearl S. Buck's Birthplace Museum in Hillsboro, or the sites of the several Civil War battles that took place in the county. The Durbin/Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers a ride along the banks of the Greenbrier River. The Cass Scenic Railroad, once part of a logging network that was essential to West Virginia's economy, gives its riders a look at Pocahontas County's history while traveling through remote, breathtaking mountain valleys. In addition to regular half-day trips, the railroad offers special Fall Foliage schedules, a Halloween Train and weekly Dinner Trains in the summer. Golfers can play at the Pocahontas County Country Club, as well as Hawthorne Valley at Snowshoe Mountain Resort (noted by Golf Magazine as "one of the Best New Courses in the United States"). The area's natural beauty can be experienced by hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding on trails running through national and state forests, state parks and private resorts. Also popular is canoeing down the lovely Greenbrier River, or fishing in one of the eight rivers and countless streams, many of which are on the state's trout stocking program. In-season hunting is allowed in many parts of the county. Elevations of 3,000-4,500 ft. above sea level often provide enough snow cover for cross country skiing, and the nearby Snowshoe Mountain Resort offers some of the best downhill skiing on the east coast. Check out these web sites for more information.... West Virginia Department of Education The Education Alliance article on NRAO West Virginia's Great Outdoors 
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