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West Virginia Folklore Society
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Jul 15, 1915
John Harrington Cox presided over founding of West Virginia Folklore Society
1925
John Harrington Cox documented nine version of "John Hardy," confusing Hardy and Henry as the same person in Folk-Songs of the South Other events that happened on or around 1925 Izetta Brown married Hugh Miller Everett Ferguson acquired Browns Island in its entirety Fannie Cobb Carter's husband Emory Carter died Union Carbide moved to Rollin Chemical site in So. Charleston John Harrington Cox's dissertation published as Cox presided over founding of West Virginia Folklore Society Folk-Songs of the South by Harvard Univ. Press Levi Dean built the Ricketts house in Huntington Henry Davis Hazelwood was appointed the principal of Douglass High School Dreamland pool in Kenova opened as a private business DuPont built the Belle plant Alpha Psi Omega, an international collegiate honor society for drama students, was founded at Fairmont State College (now Fairmont State University) West Virginia Farm Bureau Service Company was organized Stage Struck starring Gloria Swanson was filmed in New Martinsville A fire destroyed nearly all of the Greenbrier Military School's buildings Federal board unveiled national system of interstate routes and uniform highway signs Reported 233 high school were open in the state The Itmann Company Store opened John L. Dickinson became president of Kanawha Valley Bank after the death of John Q. Dickinson Kanawha Valley Hospital bought the Barber Sanatorium and Hospital facility Tom Kromer first attended Marshall College Jean Lee Latham graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College A new building on Linsly's campus was built Pare Lorentz moved to New York Minnie Lowther wrote Marshall Hall The "Thundering Herd" nickname was first used after Marshall defeated Glenville State Jacob Marcus received his Ph.D. from the University of Berlin The Governor's Mansion was completed John Matheus' short story "Fog" won first place in the Opportunity magazine short story contest Bernard McDonough left Georgetown University Howard B. Lee became attorney general Governor Morgan pardoned John Wilburn Morgantown citizens made a failed attempt to remove Zackquill Morgan's remains from Prickett's Fort to his hometown of Morgantown The first Mountaineer Field was completed William Page Pitt graduated from Muskingum College Pocahontas Coal & Coke Company moved to Bluefield William Revercomb married Sara Hughes A scrip law was written by coal company lobbyists making scrip non-transferable The Sistersville to New Martinsville streetcar line ceased operation Dial service was introduced in Huntington The United Carbon Company was formed Berkerly Countian Benjamin Snyder built his home reflecting aspects of the Sears, Roebuck and Company's Sheridan house The Virginian Railway began electrification of its trains Only 134 students were enrolled at West Liberty State Normal School (now West Liberty University) Legislature created another West Virginia Historical Society with an appointive body Legislation passed to have the state historian and archivist to publish a quarterly history magazine A new administration building was completed at West Virginia Collegiate Institute (now West Virginia State University) The Greek fraternal system replace earlier literary societies at West Virginia Wesleyan College Whitaker-Glessner subsidiary, the Principio Company ceased production of pig and bar iron in Maryland T. G. Nutter lobbied against the Charleston premiere of D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation
1950
Walter Barnes, Patrick Gainer and Ruth Ann Musick revived the West Virginia Folklore Society Other events that happened on or around 1950 More than 19,000 black youth, grades 1-12, were provided education by the West Virginia public school system 123rd Fighter Group called to duty in Korean War and moved to Goodman Air Force Base Pastor Richard E. Shearer assumed presidency of Alderson-Broaddus College (now University) Ernest Bavely died The National Bituminous Coal Wage Agreement was approved Sigus Olafson began publishing articles on petroglyphs, the painted trees, Gabriel Arthur and more A caretaker for Audra State Park was hired Walter Barnes helped revive the Folklore Society with help from Ruth Ann Musick Bear Rock Lakes area was opened to fishing Clair Bee wrote Hoop Crazy Raleigh Coal & Coke ceased operations About 25,000 people lived in Bluefield Everett Lilly appeared on classic bluegrass recordings Betsy Byars graduated from Queens College in Charlotte, NC Governor Patteson gave state funds to improve Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park Walter Eli Clark died Phil Conley ended his term as president of the West Virginia Publishing Company and founded West Virginia Education Foundation Name was shortened to West Virginia Council of Churches Virginia Ruth "Dagmar" Egnor was hired to be on NBC's Broadway Open House Julius DeGruyter wrote West Virginia: Its Charters and Municipal Affairs West Virginia's median age was below national average at 26.3 years Joanne Dru appeared in Wagon Master Ellis Dungan returned to Hollywood Fairmont population peaked at 29,346 Fayette County population peaked at 82,443 Floodwall in Parkersburg was completed Patrick Gainer organized the West Virginia State Folk Festival in Glenville Fostoria manufactured 8 million pieces of glass West Virginia population peaked at 2,005,552 Statewide coal employment peaked at 127,000 The Veterans Administration Medical Center was built in Harrison County Dave Gideon died Mechanization and automation in coal mining reduced the number of miners and a decline in UMWA membership The gates to the Home for the Incurables (now Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital) were removed The Cedar Lakes Conference Center was established as a state FFA-FHA camp Keystone's population was at 2,500 The National Labor Relation board recognized the Employees Security League as the legitimate bargaining agent for Weirton employees The Linger chair factory moved to Rock Cave The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers recorded for Cozy Records Louis Wohinc died Catherine Marshall published Mr. Jones, Meet The Master A new science building was constructed at Marshall College (now University) Jack Maurice became editor of the Charleston Daily Mail A fourth of McDowell population was black McDowell population peaked at 98,887 Mine mechanization led to widespread job loss Major coal companies formed the Bituminous Coal Operators Association The UMWA and Bituminous Coal Operators Association agreed that the union would not resist mechanization in exchange for a share of the proceeds Birth rate in West Virginia declined and pace of out-migration accelerated Traditional coal miners' vacation became formalized with the establishment of Bituminous Coal Operators Association Mingo County population peaked at 47,409 The National Hillbilly News switched to a smaller format Molly O'Day and Lynn Davis gave up show business to serve the Lord Port Amherst Ltd. was acquired by the Amherst Fuel Company Jack Rollins wrote "Frosty the Snow Man" Charleston's St. Francis Hospital had 130 beds Soupy Sales left Huntington The West Virginia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists consisted of 2,000 members Shepherd College was accredited by the North Central Association Jim Sprouse studied international law at the University of Bordeaux The Weirton Independent Union was declared a violation of federal labor law West Virginia steelworkers numbered 22,596 Joe Stydahar was named head coach of the L.A. Rams Leon Sullivan began ministry at Zion Baptist church in Philadelphia Hinton's population was 5,780 West Virginia tobacco production was at 4,000,000 pounds Richard Talbott stopped serving as state treasurer Riggleman Hall was constructed at Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) Welch population peaked at 6,603 Helen Thompson became the Charleston Symphony Orchestra's first full-time executive secretary Weston's population peaked at 8,945 An outpatient department was opened at Wheeling Hospital Wildlife biologist tried trapping wild turkeys in the eastern mountains and moving them into other counties Williamson population peaked at 8,624 Wyoming County population was 37,540 Mullens had a population of 3,544 Hurry-up Yost was inducted to the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Morgantown obtained the Tibbs Run Reservoir President Eisenhower appointed Helen Holt to a new program in the Federal Housing Administration
1951
Ruth Ann Musick and others founded the West Virginia Folklore Journal Other events that happened on or around 1951 Woodford Sutherland killed after training flight when his parked P-51 was hit by another Akro Agate Company ceased production Clair Bee ended his college coaching career at Long Island University after the point-shaving scandals that devastated college basketball Florence Blanchfield received the International Red Cross's Florence Nightingale Medal Harry Atlee Burdette and Fred Clifford Painter first to be put to death via electric chair in West Virginia Charleston Memorial Hospital dedicated with 129 beds Air Force ROTC program was established at Davis & Elkins College Fiestaware colors forest green, rose, chartreuse, and grey were introduced Floodwall in Point Pleasant was completed Ruel Foster wrote William Faulkner: A Critical Appraisal Tony Brown graduated from Garnet High School Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football Ella Holroyd retired from Concord College Ray Wetzel died in a car accident Elizabeth Kee took her place in the House of Representatives, replacing her late husband, John Kee Maryat Lee wrote and produced the street play Dope! The federal navigation system on the Little Kanawha River was turned over to the state Kanawha County Democratic boss Homer Hanna Sr. and Governor Patteson picked William Marland as candidate for governor Catherine Marshall wrote A Man Called Peter J. Kemp McLaughlin led the squadron on active duty in the Korean War Okey Mills married Netie Mae Neely Waterford Park (later Mountaineer Race Track) opened Karl Myers compiled a second poetry collection, Cross and Crown College assumed its current name, Potomac State College of West Virginia University Benjamin Rosenbloom retired from practicing law K. Duane Hurley became president of Salem College Sam Shaw became editor of the Moundsville Daily Echo Hulett Smith became chairman of Beckley's Democratic executive committee. The Paw Paw Tunnel was shut down The first coaxial cable television system started carrying programming of WSAZ to Welch Bishop Swint asked Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus to help establish a Catholic college of liberal arts in West Virginia (now Wheeling Jesuit University) Hurry-up Yost was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Robert Graetz Jr. married Jeannie Ellis
1959
Patrick Gainer became president of the West Virginia Folklore Society Other events that happened on or around 1959 Alderson-Broaddus College (now University) achieved accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Three-class format based on school size, each class having eight teams was created for the state high school basketball tournament Berwind Lake Wildlife Management Area began J. G. Bradley sold the Widen Mine to Clinchfield Coal Company Owners of Maryland's Pimlico Race Course bought Charles Town Race Track Name changed from Barber Sanatorium to Kanawha Valley Memorial Hospital Goodyear plant built near Apple Grove There were 47 covered bridges still in existence in West Virginia Donald Duncan sold the Duncan Parking Meter Corporation Ellis Dungan Productions produced Wheels to Progress Medium green was introduced for fiestaware Hal Greer advanced to the National Basketball Association after graduation from Marshall Perry Gresham wrote Sage of Bethany Four Boone County businessmen opened the first Heck's department store in Charleston Dixie Kilham bought the Hilltop House William Hoffman wrote Days in the Yellow Leaf Homer Laughlin China Company began producing restaurant china John Knowles wrote his first novel, A Separate Peace John Knowles wrote his first novel, A Separate Peace Catherine Marshall married Leonard E. LeSourd Kyle McCormick wrote The New-Kanawha River and the Mine War of West Virginia Charlie McCoy moved to Nashville New Mennonite congregation started in Pocahontas County The Mill Point Prison Camp closed Moncove Lake was created by the damming of Devil Creek Size of the Moundsville prison doubled John Forbes Nash was hospitalized for schizophrenia The first radio telescopes were in operation at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank The historic Reber Radio Telescope moved to Green Bank Warden M. Lane outline a proposal for reorganization of the Conservation Commission to correct an overlapping of duties Lewis Keller, Sr. purchased the Oakhurst Links property from Cary Montague Don Gardner became the first president of Ohio Valley College (now University) Rex and Eleanor Parker had a conversion experience and thereafter performed only sacred music Rebel Records was founded in Maryland Nat Reese returned to West Virginia to work for the State Road Commission ABC-TV first aired Lunch with Soupy Sales WVU basketball team lost 71-70 to California in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament final Reported 2,843 schools in West Virginia Shenandoah Downs opened in Charles Town Agnes Smith published An Edge of the Forest Hulett Smith left the state Aeronautics Commission Blaze Starr met Louisiana Gov. Earl Long while performing in New Orleans Jerry West was named most valuable player of the NCAA tournament Jerry West was unanimous All American first-team choice The Mountaineers went to the national basketball championships Water ski shows failed to draw a crowd William F. Troy, S.J. became president of Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) Katherine Johnson married Lt. Colonel James A. Johnson Tunney Hunsaker fought Ernie Terrell The Special Forces (Green Berets) were created in the Army National Guard
1963
Patrick Gainer published The West Virginia Centennial Song Book of 100 Songs Other events that happened on or around 1963 The Centennial year closed and virtually all elements of the program had been successfully completed Patch Adams spent two weeks in a psychiatric facility for depression President's Appalachian Regional Commission (PARC) recommendations sent to President Johnson Appalachian Hospital network saved by the Board of National Missions of the United Presbyterian Church Appalachian Volunteers organized Only 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles could be found in the U.S. W. E. Blackhurst published Sawdust in Your Eyes W. E. Blackhurst was the first commentator for the Cass Scenic Railroad Florence Blanchfield received the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal A new student union building was built at Bluefield State College (now University) Tony Boyle was elected president of the UMWA Ruby Bradley retired from the army Elk River Coal & Lumber Company sold its sawmill at Swandale to Georgia-Pacific Expansion of Cabell Huntington Hospital increased the size to 280 beds and 48 bassinets Centennial Golden Trout received first widespread stocking Mower Lumber Company purchased Cheat Mountain Club Jim Comstock ran for unsuccessfully for Congress Phyllis Curtin sang at the meeting of the Music Educators National Conference in Charleston Julius DeGruyter wrote A Brief History of Kanawha County and the Kanawha Region Dolores Dowling became secretary and administrative assistant of the Veterans Administration regional office in Huntington Thomson Newspapers of Canada purchased all three Fairmont papers Ann Flagg returned to teaching at Evanston Consolidated School District and Southern Illinois University The department led the effort to organize a crafts fair at Cedar Lakes The book, Mountain Heritage was published Patrick Gainer recorded Folk Songs of the Allegheny Mountains for Folk Heritage Recordings Earl Andrews became president of the Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation at Berkeley Springs Legislature authorized counties to cooperate with local governments and the federal government Land on Maryland Heights was added to the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park The widows of Edward and Walker Long and William D. Brike took charge of Huntington Newspaper Publishing Charles Hodel was named to the West Virginia Press Association's Hall of Fame The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals who ruled in State ex rel. Slatton v. Boles that the state policy is to "protect and reclaim juveniles" and will be treated as delinquents rather than criminals Kanawha Records began to record authentic indigenous mountain music as performed by contemporary West Virginia musicians Reynolds Memorial Hospital opened a new facility in Glen Dale The National Youth Science Camp was founded in Pocahontas County The West Virginia Chapter of Nature Conservancy was founded by volunteers The Greenbrier Historical society re-formed after disbanding during the Civil War New buildings of the Ohio Valley College (now University) were occupied on a permanent campus The Libbey-Owens-Ford glass bottle plant closed in Charleston Jim Comstock found a preserved baby and the two female mummies in a barn in Philippi. The West Virginia Centennial showboat, Rhododendron, plied the Kanawha, Ohio and Monongahela Rivers Spanky Roberts was assigned to Griffis Air Force base The St. Albans Archeological Site was first identified by Samuel D. Kessel Salem College received full accreditation by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges Devid Selby married Claudeis "Chip" Newman WVU Rod Thorn became All-American in basketball Boyd Stutler published West Virginia in the Civil War Legislation to protect the environment from surface mining was enacted Rod Thorn became the second pick in the first round of the NBA draft and went to Baltimore Bullets The Unitarian Universalist church in Morgantown was built The VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) began Geoffrey Hobday left the Charleston Symphony Orchestra The Charleston Symphony Orchestra was led by a season of guest conductors The first Water Festival was held at Hinton Billy Edd Wheeler recorded "Coal Tattoo" Wheeling Hospital set up the first intensive care unit in West Virginia The Shott brothers revived their WHAJ-FM The Widen mine and railroad ceased operation WVU at Parkersburg became the first of WVU's Appalachian Centers A naval radio station was established at Sugar Grove Ellie Schaul helped decorate the Centennial Showboat Rhododendron
1970
The Folklore Society met at WVU Other events that happened on or around 1970 Muriel Dressler published "Appalachia" Easton Roller Mill was willed to the Monongalia Historical Society Ann Flagg died in Illinois Jack Fleming became sports director of WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh Jack Fleming became announcer for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association Ruth Ann Musick published Green Hills of Magic Fort Ashby was listed on the National Register of Historic Places Population of Grant County was at 8,607 Alberta Pierson Hannum's book Spin a Silver Dollar radio play was published as The Blue House by U.S. Information Agency The National Park Service opened the Harpers Ferry Center, to serve National Park units nationwide Frank Haymond received the American Bar Association's ABA Medal Henry Clay Furnace was added to the National Register of Historic Places James Dickey's novel, Deliverance, made the term "hillbilly" sinister Every Ohio River county except Jackson had at least one chemical plant Sam Huff ran unsuccessfully for Congress Alice Moore was elected to the Kanawha County Board of Education as an opponent of sex education Kanawha Records stopped recording Kenova population peaked at 5,000 Maryat Lee moved to Powley Creek Everett Lilly moved back to Raleigh County following son's death Alex Mahood died Joe Manchin graduated from WVU with a bachelor's in business administration The tannery in Marlinton closed Paul Marshall became a registered architect Irene McKinney received her master's from WVU The Meadow River Lumber Company was sold to Georgia-Pacific Arnold Miller was forced to retire from mining by black lung disease and arthritis Alan Mollohan began a Fairmont law firm Ona presented four NASCAR Grand National races Mylan Pharmaceuticals incorporated in Pennsylvania as Mylan Laboratories Justin B. Roberts became president of Ohio Valley College (now University) Squire Parsons graduated from West Virginia Institute of Technology The Penn Central Railroad corporation entered bankruptcy Frank Beyer purchased the Philippi mummies The first VHF non-commercial station in the state, WSWP-TV, started in Grandview Rock Springs Park shut down and was purchased by the Department of Highways. The first indication of Jay Rockefeller's intention to run for governor came when he spoke out against strip mining The Ruffner Hotel closed and was demolished for a parking lot David Selby earned a doctorate in drama from Southern Illinois University The Meadow River Lumber Company closed Jim Comstock republished Hubert Skidmore's Hawks Nest Ada "Bricktop" Smith recorded her only recording, "So Long, Baby," with Cy Colemen The South Charleston Mound was placed on the National Register of Historic Places State Police department headquarters relocated to new facilities Jerry West led the NBA in scoring The Highlands Conservancy worked to make cranberry backcountry a federal wilderness area Federal Highway Act passed allowing tolls to be retained Bob Wise received a B.A. from Duke University Bill Withers moved to Los Angeles WSAZ changed to WGNT An addition was added to the Kanawha (now Yeager) Airport
1974
The Folklore Society met at Fairmont State Other events that happened on or around 1974 The first annual Apple Butter Festival was held at Berkeley Springs State Park The Mountaineer Mall opened in Morgantown The Elkins newspaper building burned to the ground Jayne Anne Phillips graduated magna cum laude from WVU William Pierce co-founded the National Alliance A replica of Pricketts Fort was rebuilt Richard Freeland moved Rebel Records to Asbury in Greenbrier County Leonard Riggleman fought to prevent Morris Harvey College from being given to the state Rock Springs Park structures were sold to make way for a new road and Ohio River bridge. The B&O railroad tracks were removed in Rosbys Rock The St. Albans Archeological Site was placed on the National Register of Historic places Sam Snead left the Greenbrier for the Homestead Sites in Mingo, Logan and Wyoming counties were established for the southern West Virginia community and technical college Blaze Starr wrote an autobiography Sunrise mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places Ewel Cornett assisted in reorganizing the Theatre West Virginia The Catholic Committee of Appalachia raised concerns regarding the economic and political inequalities A bronze casting of the "Lincoln Walks at Midnight" statue was made by Bernard Wiepper for the West Virginia capitol Twin Falls pioneer homestead completed A collection of Melville Davisson Post's stories were published in The Methods of Uncle Abner Congress abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity poverty agency Don West wrote O Mountaineers: A Collection of Poems The Tomlinson mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places WVU at Parkersburg enrollment was at 5,149 students Baggage claim addition was built at Kanawha (Yeager) Airport Conchata Ferrell won the Drama Desk, Obie and Theatre World Best Actress Awards
1980
West Virginia Folklore ceased publication Other events that happened on or around 1980 Harley Staggers retired from Congress A statue was placed in Huntington memorializing veterans from WWII and later A high-level water outlet was added to one of Sutton Dam's sluice gates The book Tale of the Elk was reprinted by Mountain State Press Cyrus Vance resigned as U.S. secretary of state Jerry West was named to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame The 116th West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal was awarded posthumously to all deceased veterans who were honorably discharged Sidney Rothstein was appointed conductor of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra The FCC forced the Shott family to divest themselves of their TV station The Williamson Coal House was added to the National Register of Historic Places Tibbs Run Reservoir basin was drained
1998
Judy Byers established the West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University Other events that happened on or around 1998 The West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th was named top C-130 unit in the Air Force The Blues Revue headquarters were moved to Salem Buffalo Lake closed for swimming because of Canada geese New partnership with Marshall University School of Medicine extended Cabell Huntington Hospital St. Mary's Hospital of Huntington and Pleasant Valley Hospital (now Rivers Health) in Point Pleasant joined the Cabell Huntington Hospital network Mountaineers made it to the Sweet 16 of National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament Thomson Newspapers sold Daily Mail to Media News Group Stephen Coonts wrote Fortunes of War WVU established official boundaries and endowment for the Core Arboretum West Virginia crime rate reached 2,547.2 crimes per 100,000 The Wars of Heaven included in O. Henry Award prize story collection Richard Currey won the Bravo Award for Literary Excellence Richard Currey won the Charles H. Daugherty Humanities Award Davis & Elkins College campus consisted of 170 acres and 20 major buildings G. Thomas Mann became the 12th president of Davis & Elkins College Hazel Dickens received honorary doctorate of humanities from Shepherd College (now University) The last of the giant hyper compressors were cut into scrap at Dupont's Belle Plant Edgewood Country Club celebrated its centenary The Turning was screened at the West Virginia International Film Festival The Buffalo Toyota plant produced its first four-cylinder engine View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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