The extreme eastern part of the state and the northern panhandle may not fit the stereotypical view West Virginia presents to the world, but they are a relatively small part of the state, and being close to major metropolitan areas are isolated from some of the factors that have made West Virginia what it is.

In the 1920's West Virginia was, like the majority of Appalachia incredibly isolated compared to what it is now. the only reliable transport was by river and the railroads that moved the coal and the timber, The rest of the region lived in the previous century. (some parts of the state in the century prior to that....) Appalachia in general was less well known to Americans than many foreign countries, but the radio and the local music started changing that in the 1920's. It wasn't totally isolated, There was (and is) some good schools there, Marshall University was going strong in the 20's, and major industry (Steel, glass and chemical) was springing up along the major rivers (Kanawha and Ohio rivers for example).

But you can safely lump most everyone in the state under the same category as far as how the outside world saw it,for sure though.