Beckley is a county seat in Raleigh County. The community was named after founder Alfred Beckley.. A former coal town, the city has been referred to as Beckleyville and its nickname was the "Smokeless Coal Capital".

The city experiences four distinct seasons with autumn and fall being the best seasons. The average winter temperature is 31 degrees F while that of summer is  75-90 degrees F

Elevation: 2416 feet

Land area: 9.2 square miles

Latitude: 37.78 N

Longitude: 81.18 W

Population: 16,936 as on 2005 census

Local festivals include:

• Appalachian Festival - Aug. 24-27, 2006

Attractions:

• Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine
• Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia
•  Wildwood House