CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Could we soon see changing state boundaries right in our backyard? The governor of West Virginia and state lawmakers are working to hold a special legislative session and draw up the paperwork to welcome three western Maryland counties to become part of the Mountain State.
Lawmakers from Garret, Allegany and Washington counties in Maryland recently wrote letters to the West Virginia Legislature asking for consideration to become part of West Virginia. The letters said the move would be “mutually beneficial for both states and for our local constituencies.”
The three counties have a combined population of more than 251,000 people and include the cities of Cumberland and Hagerstown.
The largest change in state boundaries to this day remains West Virginia breaking off from Virginia during the Civil War. Virginia remained with the Confederacy while West Virginia stayed as part of the union.
The move would be exceedingly rare and incredibly difficult to actually happen. The state legislatures would have to approve the secession followed by Congress agreeing to the plan.
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