Charleston is the capital of West Virginia and the seat of Kanawha County. Located at the confluence of the Kanawha and Elk Rivers, Charleston is the trading hub for the Great Kanawha Valley. Coal, salt, and oil are major industries in Charleston, as is natural gas. The first natural gas well in the U.S. was drilled in Charleston in 1815 by James Wilson, who accidentally struck natural gas while drilling for salt.

The first permanent settlement in the area was Fort Lee, built in 1788 by Colonel George Clendenin and his company of Virginia Raiders. As the community developed around the fort, Clendenin decided to name it Charles Town, after his father. The name was later shortened to Charleston to avoid confusion with another Charles Town in West Virginia. The town was officially established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1794, with a population of 35 people living in seven houses.