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Conservation Movement
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1841
Scarcity of deer first noted in present West Virginia Other events that happened on or around 1841 The first class at Bethany College included international students William Tompkins struck large flow of gas while drilling a salt well a short distance above Burning Springs Henry Ruffner gathered with other western Virginians at a convention in Clarksburg and allied for a system of free public schools Alexander Campbell argued for public education at the education convention in Clarksburg John Hale attended Mercer Academy in Charleston The Northwestern Academy was established Work commenced on the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike The Jackson family gristmill was constructed at Jackson's Mill Nathaniel Kuykendall operated a stagecoach and mail delivery service on the Northwestern Virginia Turnpike Robert Simmons settled in Parkersburg The Staunton Turnpike was placed under control of the Board of Public Works Portion of the Staunton Turnpike were open to wagon travel George Summers was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives Elizabeth Tomlinson died Charles Ward was born John Thornton Augustine Washington died James O. Watson married Matilda Lamb Charles Ellet Jr was appointed chief engineer of the Fairmont Bridge Richard Whelan was consecrated as the second bishop of the Diocese of Richmond Waitman Willey was elected clerk of the Monongalia County Court
1869
West Virginia passed its first game laws Other events that happened on or around 1869 West Virginia had 40,000 farms in 8.6 million acres Split between the Northern and Southern Baptists mended Belle Boyd married again to John Swainston Second governor of West Virginia, Daniel D.T. Farnsworh lived in Buckhannon Johnson Newlon Camden entered the refining business at Parkersburg Coke replaced anthracite as the leading blast furnace fuel in America Peter G. Van Winkle term as West Virginia's first U.S. senator ended Fairmont State Regency normal was renamed the Fairmont Branch Normal (Fairmont State University) Trinity Church in Huntington held its first services at Cabell County Courthouse The survival of the White Sulphur Springs resort was ensured by the arrival of the C&O Railway Cooper's Mill was built in Summers County Helvetia was settled by German-speaking Swiss immigrants George Imboden married Angi M. Dickinson The Kanawha Valley Bank built a two-story bank at the intersection of Kanawha Blvd and Capitol St in Charleston James Kay migrated to America Another boundary shift occurred in Lincoln County Stogie makers were among the first trades in Wheeling to unionize The C&O railway had begun construction in Milton Johnson Newlon Camden established one of the country's first oil refineries in Parkersburg. George Peterkin was ordained as an Episcopal priest. A Chesapeake & Ohio Railway branch was completed into Greenbrier County An arsonist burned the Preston County courthouse destroying most of the county records from 1818-69 Spring Hill Cemetery was dedicated as the Charleston municipal cemetery Edward W. Stifel Sr. was born The Laurel Fork & Sand Hill Railroad was constructed in Volcano The first West Virginia Historical Society began The West Virginia Press Association was formed Emanuel Wilson was admitted to the bar Susan Dew married James Hoff
1877
Legislature created a Fish Commission and first game and warden appointments Other events that happened on or around 1877 Women were first admitted as students to Bethany College on a provisional basis Bruen agents reappeared in the Jackson County area accompanied by U.S. Deputy Marshal Nathan Cunningham Legislature put place of state capital to vote of people Caroline Dane "Danske" Bedinger married A.B. Dandridge Samuel Dixon emigrated to Fayette County Stephen Elkins and Henry Gassaway Davis became partners in developing land in West Virginia A major flood on the Greenbrier River damaged early settlements Serious flood hit Hardy County Frank Hereford was elected by the state legislature to fill the unexpired U.S. Senate term of Allen Taylor Caperton The Knights of Labor established a local organization at Paden City Voters chose Charleston over Clarksburg and Martinsburg as the permanent seat of government The Ohio Valley Pottery ceased making ironstone china A cadet battalion was formed at Linsly School The normal schools established a three-year term beyond elementary grades The Jackson Democrat became the Jackson Herald The first annual Jackson County Fair was held in Ripley I.C. White returned to WVU to teach geology Emanuel Wilson began serving in the House of Delegates
1900
Only remnant populations of deer and turkey were noted Other events that happened on or around 1900 West Virginia had 100,000 farms on 8.9 million acres Charles Ambler served as sheriff of Pleasants County for two years B&O added the Monongahela River Railroad (Fairmont to Clarksburg) There were 600 Baptist churches in West Virginia Raleigh County Republicans launched the Raleigh Herald Berkeley County population was 19,469 First women on the Bethany College board of trustees Jesse Bloch entered the family Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company Alonzo Brooks completed a business course at West Virginia Wesleyan College Capon Springs developer William H. Sale died Cass was founded by West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company West Virginia Pulp & Paper built paper mill at Covington, Virginia The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) completed its Greenbrier Division into Pocahontas County to harvest red spruce on Cheat and Back Allegheny mountains Moses Donnally sold the Charleston Gazette Davis Child Shelter, an orphanage, was established in Charleston First sewer lines were installed in Clarksburg Coal production had doubled Little evidence of the Coal River locks and dams remained West Virginia chapter of the Colonial Dames of America was organized West Virginia's median age was below national average at 20.3 Doddridge County population was 13,689 William Edwards wrote a book on the authorship of Shakespeare's plays Fairmont Times was first published by Gen. C. L. Smith and O. S. McKinney Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Garnet High School was founded with a class of 12 black students Howard Gore graduated from WVU with a degree in agriculture Harrison County held a population of 27,690 Nancy Hart and husband Joshua Douglas settled in Webster County Morris Harvey founded the Fayette National Bank William "Coin" Harvey moved to Arkansas to begin building a retreat and vacation resort The population of Helvetia reached 500 people The first time the word "hillbilly" was used in print, in a New York newspaper Reported 1,062 native Hungarians in West Virginia Water power began being used for the production of electricity in West Virginia, at Kanawha Falls Census reported 2,458 Indians living in West Virginia There were 18 farms of the settlers on the Irish Tract Jackson County's population rose to 19,000 Don Redman was born in Piedmont The Kanawha Falls were augmented by a low dam Oil and natural gas in high quantities was found in Lewis County Cousin Abe Lilly received a law degree from the Southern Normal University, Tennessee Railroad replaces streams as the chief means of transporting logs to sawmills The Benwood Ironworks grew into a large steel mills James Miller ceased to be Summers County prosecuting attorney James Miller ran unsuccessfully for state auditor Steam and electric fans made larger mines possible The completion of the C&O Railway's Greenbrier Division to Marlinton put the Minnehaha Springs within reach of travelers Fairmont's first electric streetcar line built Morgantown population was at 1,895 The Morgantown Glass Works began production A developer began selling oceanfront lots for $25 in Myrtle Beach The anticlinal theory of oil and gas was applied along Sand Fork of the Little Kanawha The Toledo & Ohio Central gained control of the Kanawha & Michigan and the Kanawha & West Virginia Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad began purchasing the N&W stock E.M. Carney purchased the Pence Springs property Kanawha County had the largest population with 54,696 residents. The largest city in the state was Wheeling with a population of 38,878. The Lilly family began ownership of the Ruffner Hotel St. Joseph's Hospital was founded by Patrick J. Donahue Samuel and Violet Bryant got their first jobs on showboats James H. Brown's obelisk was erected at Spring Hill Cemetery Interurban railway operations began in Huntington Tyler County's oil and gas boom peaked Wayne County population was at 23,619 Wings were added to Woodburn Hall at WVU Weston had municipal water plant, sanitary and storm sewer systems and brick paved streets West Virginia Pulp & Paper began constructing a sawmill in Cass A nursing school was founded at Wheeling Hospital The Collins Colliery company store burned Matthew Whittico moved to Keystone Buffalo, elk, gray wolf and passenger pigeon had all disappeared from West Virginia The second courthouse at Winfield was built Wirt County's population peaked at 10,284 Carter G. Woodson became principal of Douglass High School The first record of the ballad "The Wreck on the C&O" came out
1907
Devasting flooding occurred on the Monongahela River
1908
Forest fires destroyed 1.7 million acres Other events that happened on or around 1908 Charles Ambler received a doctorate in social sciences Virginian Railway began building a new line Louis Bennett Sr. unsuccessfully ran for governor Legislature authorized the purchase of land to serve as training base Fannie Cobb Carter organized teacher-training department at West Virginia Colored Institute (now West Virginia State University) William Conley was appointed to unexpired term as West Virginia attorney general Congress prepared way for establishment of National Forest Reserve in Monongahela Legislature replaced the Board of Examiners with state Board of Education 4-H movement in West Virginia began in Monroe County The German Dunkards changed their name to the Church of the Brethren William Glasscock resigned as internal revenue collector to run for governor Henry Hatfield became a member of the West Virginia Senate Herman Kump elected prosecuting attorney in Randolph County Clark W. May died William Alexander MacCorkle wrote Some Southern Questions I. T. Mann served as a delegate to the Republican national convention Johnson Camden McKinley became a millionaire coal operator The Mercer Healing Springs Corporation was bought out by Rufus G. Meador James Miller published History of Summers County Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller divorced her husband and moved to Boston after discovering his infidelities West Virginia legislature rejected every mine safety law proposed President Teddy Roosevelt advocated the formation of a federal agency to investigate mine accidents, teach accident prevention and conduct mine safety research Margaret Montague published In Calvert's Valley The Morgantown Weekly Post and the Morgantown Chronicle merged Anna Jarvis founded Mother's Day The Church of the Nazarene was established as a national body Matthew M. Neely was elected mayor of Fairmont There were 2,592 normal school-students Oak Park opened Poles became the third-largest immigrant group working in the West Virginia coal mines Responding to a worldwide epidemic, the Board of Health recommended that West Virginia make provision for the care and treatment of tuberculosis Ritter Park was originally purchased by the city of Huntington The last log drive of the St. Lawrence Boom and Manufacturing Company The West Virginia Socialist Party spread to Huntington E. M. Statler opened the Buffalo Statler The Wellsburg, Bethany & Washington interurban railway was built William P. Tams launched the Gulf Smokeless Coal Company in the new Winding Gulf coalfield An act of Congress provided for a battlefield monument at Point Pleasant Sistersville General Hospital was founded A. Fremont Gold and W. Alfred Gold built twin houses in Mason Vitrolite was manufactured by the Meyercord-Carter Company in Vienna Fire destroyed the building of the Baptist State Convention I.C. White wrote an extensive report on the coal resources of Brazil I.C. White was invited by the Teddy Roosevelt administration to speak at the first White House Conference on conservation Lenna Yost became the state president of WCTU Credit unions began appearing in the United States
1909
West Virginia legislation prepared way for establishment of National Forest Reserve in Monongahela Other events that happened on or around 1909 R. D. Bailey graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana Waitman Barbe wrote Famous Poems Explained Broaddus Institute (now part of Alderson Broaddus University) moved from Clarksburg to Philippi Broaddus Institute (now Alderson-Broaddus College) moved from Clarksburg to Philippi Rosa Pelham returned to the castle The Birch Boom & Lumber Company built a sawmill near the mouth of Birch River West Virginia legislature created the Board of Control which consolidated management and fiscal control over West Virginia's institutions The Bluefield Daily Telegraph dubbed Bramwell the "Coalfield Capital" Sturdevant and Johnson's partnership ended, factory ceased operation and buildings torn down Camp Dawson was established Elegant seven-story Waldo Hotel opened Legislature authorized the governor to appoint a Forest, Game and Fish Warden Consolidation Coal, Fairmont Coal and Somerset Coal companies combined into the Consolidation Coal Company Danske Dandridge wrote George Michael Bedinger, a Kentucky Pioneer Huntington annexed Central City Legislation called for forest protection and research and provided fines and imprisonment for owners who intentionally or carelessly set fires Sunday hunting and fishing was prohibited by legislature Michael Owens began his own company to manufacture bottles in Fairmont and Clarksburg Legislature appropriated funds to purchase Grave Creek Mound A receiving vault was built at Greenwood Cemetery Lincoln County destroyed by fire City of Weirton was founded by Weirton Steel Ernest T. Weir established Weirton Steel The broad-gauge Harrisville Southern Railroad began to run to Cornwallis The Herald-Dispatch began with the merger of the Herald and the Huntington Dispatch Only two county seats in West Virginia were connected by paved highways Legislature established the State Road Fund and the position of state commissioner of public roads Timber production in West Virginia reached its long-time record of 1.5 billion board feet The Jackson Iron & Tin Company relocated to Holiday Cove in Hancock County Garland Wilson was born in Martinsburg Dr. Hugh G. Nicholson leased the Barber Sanatorium and added a nursing school James Kay opened mines on Campbells Creek Keystone was incorporated George Kossuth opened his own photography studio Howard B. Lee began to practice law in Bluefield The Morgantown Republican merged with the New Dominion-News The first congregation of the Church of the Nazarene in West Virginia appeared in Martinsburg Pardee & Curtin opened a double-band sawmill at Hominy Falls. Princeton was chartered as a city The Virginian Railway was completed, the last entry into West Virginia's coalfields. Ritchie Mines were abandoned A second sawmill for St. Lawrence was built for Neola The hotel in Shannondale Springs burned down again Thomas C. Miller became administrator of Shepherd College The Pope Dock Company built Goldenrod A stone sculpture of a frontiersman was dedicated in memory of the Battle of Point Pleasant A steel strike in Wheeling failed Ernest Weir expanded the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company from Clarksburg West Virginia tobacco production peaked at 14,400,000 pounds Fred Torrey enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago T. C. Townsend first served as the state tax commissioner The name changed from Education Association of West Virginia to the State Education Association Byrd Prillerman became president of West Virginia Colored Institute (now West Virginia State University) The Western Maryland Railway company was organized White Sulphur Springs was incorporated as a town The Wirt County courthouse in Elizabeth burned down Completion of the Virginian Railway sparked an industrial boom in Mullens
1911
Congress enacted the Weeks law which authorized the federal government to cooperate with the various states to purchase land for the protection of the watersheds of navigable streams Other events that happened on or around 1911 Bill to create the Department of Agriculture and Commissioner of Agriculture was passed Alderson Academy's name was changed to Alderson Baptist Academy (now part of Alderson Broaddus University) Walter Barnes received an M.A. from Harvard Van Bittner joined the UMWA The Board of Control was given responsibility to manage the state tuberculosis sanitarium at Terra Alta and the West Virginia Colored Orphans Home in Huntington A. B. Brooks wrote Forestry and Wood Industries Fire destroyed the Mountain House 155,092 pounds of chestnuts shipped from one railroad station in West Virginia William Edwin Chilton was elected U.S. senator by state legislature Goff Building was finished in Clarksburg Danske Dandridge wrote American Prisoners of the Revolution The elective Office of Agriculture Commissioner was created Population of postal communities on Flat Top Mountain was 300 Reported 83 band mills and 900 circular mills in operation Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Berkeley Glass Sand Company was incorporated Benjamin Franklin Gravely began designing a power-driven plow After changing to Lewisburg Female Institute the name changed to Lewisburg Seminary (later Greenbrier College for Women) The citizens of Guyandotte voted to become part of Huntington A new courthouse in Hamlin was constructed The Anti-Tuberculosis League of West Virginia lobbied a bill through legislature to build a sanitarium Charles Laws graduated from Leonard Medical College in North Carolina Governor Glasscock gave Joseph Long the title colonel Minnie Lowther published The History of Ritchie County The earliest known road map of West Virginia was produced by a state agency The Marlinton Opera House began use Frank McEnteer moved to Clarksburg Rufus G. Meador constructed a hotel at Mercer Healing Springs Explosion at No. 20 Mine in Elk Garden killed 23 miners The name of the Morgantown newspaper was changed to Weekly New Dominion The Blue Creek oil field was discovered along the Elk River Matthew M. Neely was elected clerk of the House of Delegates Paden City Pottery was established Pre-engineering and agriculture programs were added at West Virginia Preparatory School (now Potomac State) The legislature approved the submission of another prohibition amendment to the people The Story of a Song: What It Means to Belong to the King was published. Rat Rodgers started at Bethany College A streetcar line extension from Charleston to St. Albans was established A deadlock occurred in the senate when members had to chose the U.S. Senators The Seneca Glass Company opened a second factory in Star City The Pythians erected an obelisk at Samuel W. Starks's grave in Spring Hill Cemetery Clarence W. Watson began serving in the U.S. Senate Fairview changed its name to Wayne The West Virginia Press Association became inactive Wings were added to Woodburn Hall at WVU Westover was incorporated Widen was built as a coal company town Willard Hotel was built in Grafton Vernon Johnson began serving in the House of Delegates
1915
First land for the Monongahela National Forest acquired Other events that happened on or around 1915 Harry Stansbury contacted high schools across the state to participate The Belle Alkali Company started a plant near Belle The Warner-Klipstein Chemical Company started A Clarksburg newspaper became the Exponent-American Legislation gave authority to Forest, Game and Fish Warden to establish refuges for protection of wild game and birds Reinforced concrete began with C.A.P Turner Monument erected at Fort Lee site to mark the beginnings of Charleston Fostoria Glass's popular "American" pattern was fist designed and patented West Virginia Bureau of Mines reported 1,479 hand-loading miners employed at Gary The Mother's Pension Law was enacted The Board of Health was replaced by the Department of Health Local timbering brought a narrow-gauge railroad to Helvetia The word "hillbilly" appeared in the title of a Harper's Monthly travel article, "Hobnobbing with Hillbillies" A 5-acre tract of land at Jackson's Mill was purchased by the Monongahela Power Company William "Keg" Purnell was born in Charleston Ann Baker was born Mother Jones testified before another congressional committee The New River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company operated a series of drift mines at Layland, Fayette County Legislature passed bill to empower cities and towns to levy taxes for public libraries and reading rooms A monument to General Joseph Lightburn was placed at Vicksburg National Battlefield Park The Marcus family relocated to Farmington Marietta Manufacturing Company began operation in Point Pleasant The Concrete Steel Bridge Company built the Alderson bridge across the Greenbrier River Legislation called for provision for preventing underground mine fires and requiring foremen and fire bosses to pass state examination and receive state certification Margaret Montague published Closed Doors Ephraim Morgan was appointed to the Public Service Commission by Governor Hatfield Descendents of Hunter John Myers left the Sleepy Creek Mountain area A member of the Church of Nazarene moved to Mannington and started a church in his house Greasy Neale graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College Greasy Neale played with the Canton (Ohio) Bulldogs Herschel C. Ogden became the owner of the Parkersburg News The legislature removed Workmen's Compensation from the Public Service Commision Dr. Burke offered the state of West Virginia property for use as a tuberculosis sanatorium Frederick Rhead received a gold medal at the San Diego Exposition for his design of mirror black pottery glaze Rat Rodgers lettered in football Benjamin Rosenbloom served as state senator from Wheeling The state legislature passed a primary law that made it difficult for third parties to be on the ballot The West Virginia legislature first imposed the corporate excise tax Charles Ward died H. Rus Warne designed the West Virginia Building at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco H. Rus Warne designed a Masonic Temple Building Walter B "Watt" Powell moved to Charleston The West Virginia Coal Association was formed Legislation changed the name of West Virginia Colored Institute to West Virginia Collegiate Institute (now West Virginia State university) State women's suffrage amendment was reintroduced Carter G. Woodson published The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 Lenna Yost became the state legislative chair of the West Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs Thomas Davis resigned from National Guard Vernon Johnson was elected the youngest Speaker of the House of Delegates
1917
The Shenandoah (George Washington) National Forest was created Other events that happened on or around 1917 Charles Ambler's last year teaching history and political science at Randolph-Macon College Hotel built by Harvey Ghiz in Logan West Virginia Folklore Society became inactive Louis Bennett Jr. graduated from Yale First book of poetry, Green Fruit,was published by John Bishop Florence Blanchfield enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps Pearl Sydenstricker married John Lossing Buck Louis Watson Chappell received his B.A. from Wake Forest William Edwin Chilton completed his term as U.S. Senate and became publisher U.S. government hired DuPont Company to build new nitrocellulose plant 89.4 million tons of coal produced in West Virginia U.S. Supreme Court supported Alston Dayton's "yellow dog" contracts ruling Legislature established the West Virginia State Colored Tuberculosis Sanitarium Diamond Shoe and Garment Co. received full department store status Natural gas peaked at 309 billion cubic feet Marion County in the Making was published Study of German in schools dropped due to the entrance of America in WWI Henry Hatfield entered the army medical corps as Captain West Virginia launched a series of highway improvements with creation of the State Road Commission The State Road Bureau was replaced by the State Road Commission The U.S. Supreme Court sustained the lower court ruling prohibiting UMWA from seeking to influence workers from breaking yellowdog contracts The House of Delegates grew to 94 delegates Itmann began mining the Pocahontas No. 3 coal seam in Wyoming County Billy Moore was born in Parkersburg Fanny Johnson and Vincent Costello moved back to Charleston Fanny Johnson's story "The Strange Looking Man" was included in a best short stories collection Mother Jones returned to West Virginia to hold meetings and seek union recognition in the Fairmont and Winding Gulf coalfield Frank Keeney became president of UMWA District 17 Harley Kilgore was commissioned a second lieutenant The town of Nitro was established by the U.S. War Department for the manufacture of munitions for WWI Fred Mooney became secretary-treasurer of UMWA District 17 Regents began to abolish high school courses in normal schools The U.S. government acquired the majority of land on Otter Creek for Monongahela National Forest The Owens Bottle Company opened a plant in the upper end of Kanawha City William Nelson Page moved to Washington. Pruntytown Correctional Center, near Grafton, offered eight years of education, providing a full grade-school education Denmar Sanitarium for black tuberculosis patients was established in Pocahontas County. The Division of Vital Statistics was established by the West Virginia Legislature. Short lines, including the Coal & Coke Railway, became part of the B&O. The Reymann Memorial Farm was donated to WVU as two separate farms Rat Rodgers was named to the All-American teams Samuel Craig Shaw became editor of the Moundsville Daily Echo Capt. Thomas J. Reynolds built his first real showboat and named it America Five companies merged to form the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation The USS Huntington was equipped for early experiments in naval aviation Commercial mining had started in Webster County The Montgomery Preparatory School was renamed the West Virginia Trades School (now WVU Institute of Technology) Lenna Yost became the president of the West Virginia Equal Suffrage Association Mordecai Johnson became pastor of Charleston’s First Baptist Church
Apr 28, 1920
Monongahela National Forest was created. Other events that happened on or around April 28, 1920 Monongahela National Forest was created
1921
The Game and Fish Commission was created by the legislature Other events that happened on or around 1921 Newton Diehl Baker served as a director of the Cleveland Trust Company and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Walter Barnes became president of the West Virginia Education Association The Beckley Register began publishing twice a week Bluefield became the second city in the nation to adopt the city manager form of local government via charter International Nickel Company plant opened Blenko Glass established in Milton State Capitol Commission was created Louis W. Chappell received appointment in English Department at WVU Drs. Romie and W. F. Walker's stately home on Virginia Street in Charleston became the Mountain State Hospital The Viscose Company established a plant in Nitro West Virginia legislature enacted anti-lynching legislation John W. Davis resigned as ambassador to England John W. Davis began law practice in New York Levi Dean became the 19th architect licensed under the West Virginia licensing law Dunbar was incorporated John Easton became VP of West Virginia State Federation of Labor Governor Morgan appointed first woman, Lenna Lowe Yost, to serve on the state Board of Education William H. "Teepi" Kendrick established and directed the first state 4-H camp in the U.S. at Jackson's Mill Fairmont High Level Bridge was open for traffic The Glen Rogers Mine opened as one of the state's largest Legislature expanded the state road commission to three members and classified all roads as state or county roads Howard Gore was hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a plan for government marketing of livestock and livestock products Federal Highway Act directed each state to recommend for federal designation a connected road system Frank Keeny and 550 others were indicted for murder and treason after the Miners' March on Logan Harold Houston represented the UMWA leaders who were accused of treason during the Battle of Blair Mountain Interwoven Mills had opened branch plants in Hagerstown, Maryland, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and Berkeley Springs Jackson's Mill became the location of West Virginia's state 4-H Camp Musa Kaleem was born Orlando Wright in Wheeling Herman Kump was elected mayor of Elkins Supreme Court ruling Ex parte Lavinder moderately tempered the power of the executive branch to use martial law Reported 99 out of 124 members of the West Virginia Legislature were Republicans Clarence Frey came to Logan County Ned Cline was born Joseph Long left the Huntington postmaster position Occupation of the present courthouse in Madison began Mannington was incorporated as a city Marshall College awarded its first baccalaureate degrees Walter Martens moved to West Virginia and opened an architecture practice in Charleston Louis Marx & Company acquired toy manufacturing facilities of its own John Matheus received an A.M. degree from Columbia Annie Brake of Valley Head began midwifery The Fairmont Electric Light and Power Plant changed its name to Monongahela Power and Railway Company Sawmill at Hominy Falls was moved to mouth of Deer Creek. The West Virginia Preparatory School (now Potomac State) became a junior college and began offering the first two years of the baccalaureate programs and certain vocational programs Funding for maternal and child health began in West Virginia Benjamin Rosenbloom began representing the First Congressional District The Franciscan Sisters of St. Francis Hospital in Charleston were recalled to New York Morris Shawkey became superintendent of Beaver Pond School District of Bluefield Spruce Knob was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service The West Virginia State Fair was founded by the Shorthorn Association as Greenbrier Valley Fair Greenbrier Valley Fair was first held State police helped defend Logan County in the Miner's March State Police field structure grew to four companies West Virginia replaced the corporate excise tax with a business gross receipts tax Clint Thomas joined the Lincoln Giants baseball team in New York T. C. Townsend was hired by the UMWA to defend miners and union leaders in the March on Logan W. W. Trent received an A.M from Columbia University St. Joseph's Hospital (Upshur County) was founded by the Pallottine Missionary Sisters Architect H. Rus Warne established a partnership of Warne, Tucker and Patterson was established The Watoga Land Association was organized Huntington expanded corporate limits into Wayne County Phil Conley began working with the American Constitutional Association The Engineering Experimental State was established at WVU The Schmulbach Building building was taken over by the Wheeling Steel Corporation Wheeling Steel began providing company housing for its coke plant workers Williamstown was incorporated The West Virginia Trades School became the New River State School (now WVU Institute of Technology) Cyrus H. Martin became president of New River State School (now WVU Institute of Technology) Lenna Yost represented the U.S. at international congresses against alcoholism in Switzerland Hack Wilson started his pro career playing for the Martinsburg Blue Sox
1923
The beaver was extirpated for its fur Other events that happened on or around 1923 Evangelist Billy Sunday stayed at Aracoma Hotel Shepherd Field, Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport, opened Walter Barnes wrote New Democracy in the Teaching of English The Beckley Register began publishing a Sunday issue Son William H. and wife joined William J. Blenko in Milton at his first factory Maurice Brooks graduated from WVU with a B.A. West Virginia's first commercial radio station WRVC began broadcasting in the Huntington area Thomas Carr retired from Carr China Company First baccalaureate degrees were awarded at Concord State Normal School (now Concord University) Phil Conley founded the West Virginia Publishing Company The last Democratic majority until 1930 John Harrington Cox received his Ph.D. from Harvard Julia Davis married William McMillan Adams Rev. Robert Edward Lee Strider was consecrated bishop coadjutor of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Wheeling Fairmont State was authorized for four-year program but must confine to training teachers Cooperative agricultural marketing law was passed U.S. Coal Commission report awarded Gary 90 out of 100 points for cleanliness, urban amenities and safety consideration The current courthouse was completed in Glenville School name was changed from Lewisburg Seminary to Greenbrier College for Women Lost Creek was the largest cattle shipping point on the B&O system The present Ritchie County courthouse was completed Homer Holt received a law degree from Washington and Lee University Construction of the large Itmann Company Store began Ella Mae Turner published compilation Stories and Verses of West Virginia Herman Kump left office as mayor of Elkins The State Hospital for the Colored Insane and the State Industrial School for Colored boys were established in Lakin Hu Maxwell wrote A Tree History of the United States Margaret Montague published Deep Channel Herbert Chester became publisher of the Morgantown Post Huntington First (Church of the Nazarene) was established in the Charleston-Huntington corridor and is the oldest congregation in that area Henry Ford built the world's largest incline tipple Herschel Ogden bought the Martinsburg Journal Okey Patteson married Lee Hawse. Maceo Pinkard helped set up Duke Ellington's first recording session. The first land for the Monongahala National Forest in Pocahontas County was acquired Jennings Randolph was elected to Salem College's board of trustees. The Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company acquired the Red Jacket Consolidated Coal and Coal company Walton High School was established Thomas Reynolds built the Majestic showboat Weirton Steel added another sheet plant P. D. Strausbaugh became head of the department of botany at WVU Festus Summers earned an A.B. at WVU Howard Sutherland's term in the U.S. Senate ended Clint Thomas began a stint with the Philadelphia Hillsdale Giants baseball team W. W. Trent became editor of the West Virginia School Journal The West Virginia State Wildlife Center was established at French Creek Ralph Weinberg married Ida Effron Wheeling Bank & Trust Company acquired the Bank of the Ohio Valley The Northern Teachers' Association ended The Game and Fish Commission purchased property in Upshur County The West Virginian Hotel was built in Bluefield Patty Willis exhibited her work at the Corcoran Gallery School of Art in Washington, DC Lenna Yost represented the U.S. at international congresses against alcoholism in Denmark Hack Wilson began playing for the New York Giants
1924
The Clarke-McNary law was passed by Congress authorizing the purchase of forested, cut-over, or denuded lands for the production of timber in addition to the flow regulation of navigable streams Other events that happened on or around 1924 Elementary school and junior high schools numbered 453 for African-American students and teachers Mary Atkeson wrote The Woman on the Farm The number of banks in West Virginia peaked at 225 state banks and 125 national banks Walter Barnes wrote The Children's Poets The Evening Post, Beckley's first daily newspaper, was established UMWA President Keeney and Secretary Treasurer Mooney were forced to retire Izetta Brown seconded Davis again for nomination Izetta Brown again defeated for U.S. Senate, this time by William Edwin Chilton Chauncey H. Browning graduated from WVU John W. Davis Democratic candidate for president Matthew Wesley Clair Sr. returned to Washington for a visit Association changed its name to West Virginia Council of Churches and Christian Education Democratic presidential candidate John W. Davis failed to carry home state West Virginia Huntington's Frederick Douglass Junior and Senior High School was built Patrick Gainer recorded folk songs and lore of West Virginia's people Construction of the Governor's Mansion began Major flood brought devastation Record floods hit Hardy County Another school was built in Harrisville The Concord College He-Man Club began as picnic to honor retiring college president Christopher Columbus Rossey The hemlock wooly adelgid was first reported in the Western United States Colonel Joseph Long bought a corner lot in Huntington to erect a building for his paper, the Herald-Dispatch The UMWA had lost half of its members in West Virginia and was nearly bankrupt The Huntington Post-Herald became a daily newspaper Homer Holt married Isabel Wood of Charlottesville, Virginia Rush Holt graduated from Salem College Cheat Lake construction began, created primarily for the production of electricity Carmine Pelligrino of Rosemont held record of mining 66 tons of coal in 24 hours The Jackson's Mill property was donated to the state of West Virginia Ray Wetzel was born in Parkersburg Mother Jones called on Governor Morgan for pardons for miners imprisoned after the Logan March Out-of-state KKK publication carried reports from several West Virginia location The Ku Klux Klan marched through Hinton Howard B. Lee left office as Mercer County prosecuting attorney Carnegie library was established in Hinton Howard M. Gore became assistant secretary of agriculture Mountain lions were declared extinct Walter Martens designed the Science and Liberal Arts halls of Davis & Elkins College Clarence Cameron White was named director of music at West Virginia State College The Concrete Steel Bridge Company of Clarksburg had 52 separate construction teams in the field The Metropolitan Theater in downtown Morgantown opened Fred Mooney left as secretary-treasurer of UMWA District 17 The first Mountaineer Field opened Records of chicken production began. The West Virginia Public Health Association was organized. Jennings Randolph graduated from Salem College. Walter Reuther began work as apprentice tool and die maker at Wheeling Steel Leonard Riggleman accepted a pastorate in Milton William Ritter made headline for sharing $3 million in company stock with his employees Money from the John B. Crowley estate paid for a new addition to St. Francis Hospital A second wing was added to St. Joseph's Hospital The state built a fire tower in Seneca State Forest A merger agreement between Sheltering Arms Hospital and Charleston General Hospital fell through Ada "Bricktop" Smith performed in Paris West Virginia Wesleyan defeated Navy, Syracuse, Kentucky in football The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference began Seneca State Forest became the first state forest in West Virginia P. D. Strausbaugh and colleagues collected, mounted and filed the nucleus of a new plant collection for WVU The Blackwater Boom & Lumber Company closed All lumber operations in Tucker County closed due to depletion of original forest Membership in the United Brethren Parkersburg Conference was 10,337 Frank Keeney and Fred Mooney resigned from the UMWA Ward Engineering built the Greenbrier, a sternweel towboat
1933
FDR creates the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) first of the New Deal agencies Other events that happened on or around 1933 A state director of purchases was appointed Ruby Bradley became a nurse The Brooks Bird Club first published The Redstart quarterly journal Harry F. Byrd was appointed to U.S. Senate for Virginia Louis W. Chappell published John Henry: A Folk-Lore Study Chessie Kitten created by Lionel Probert The Civil Works Administration was established with the New Deal agency Deer restocking program was initiated by state and sportsmen's groups Maj. Francis Wheeler Turner set up temporary camps to rescue children from poor farms and proposed replacing county farms with regional state-operated farms
Apr 21, 1936
The Jefferson National Forest was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
1955
The black bear became the state animal Other events that happened on or around 1955 167th moved to Martinsburg Huntington's Memorial Field House hosted the state boys basketball tournament Bluestone State Park joined state park system Clarksburg constructed Buffalo Lake Legislature considered declaring TV cable companies to be public utilities subject to regulation by Public Service Commission Sutton Dam completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cedar Creek State Park joined state park system Petersburg fish hatchery noticed different color trout in hatchery's rainbow trout Judge Ben Moore ruled against racial discrimination at Sky Chief Restaurant at Kanawha (now Yeager) Airport Croatian Cultural Club founded in Benwood Mutation of normal-colored rainbow trout was discovered Lester Hayes Jr. caught a 52.5 inch, 43 pound muskie in the Elk River Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football The Night of the Hunter was adapted to film Elizabeth Hallanan became a member of the State Board of Education Storer College was closed William Hoffman wrote his first novel, The Trumpet Unblown All institutions of higher learning in West Virginia except Glenville State had enrolled African-American students Coach Cam Henderson left Marshall College (now University) Bernard McDonough bought the O. Ames Company in Parkersburg Logan County surpassed McDowell County as the leading coal producing county in the nation Mildred Mitchell-Bateman was invited to return to Lakin State Hospital after leaving to further studies Green Bank was chosen for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Pardee & Curtin built the first all-electric single-band sawmill in the state at Curtin, Webster County. Otis Rice served as president of the West Virginia Historical Society Leonard Riggleman became the Charleston Gazette's West Virginia Man of the Year West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission adopted its current name West Virginia State and Bluefield State integrated the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sumner School closed after the Brown v. Board of Education decision William P. Tams retired Theatre West Virginia was founded as the West Virginia Historical Drama Association Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) built its first dormitory The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations combined as AFL-CIO Billy Edd Wheeler received a B.A. in English from Berea College Lawrence R. McHugh, S.J. became president of Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) George Wolfe was discharged from the army The 130th Troop Carrier Squadron (130th Airlift Squadron) was formed The West Virginia Lobotomy Project ended The Sugar Grove site was selected for a radio telescope Tunney Hunsaker moved to Fayetteville
1957
Deer restocking program ended Other events that happened on or around 1957 Emile Hodel became editor of the Beckley Post-Herald Michael Benedum built the Bridgeport Civic Center Reorganization transferred state mental health and penal institutions to Department of Mental Health and the Commissioner of Public Institutions Weirton Steel purchased Browns Island for $40,000 S. Maude Kaemmerling willed 3,135 acres of land in Canaan Valley to West Virginia for recreational use FMC developed new source of brine at Bens Run City National Bank opened its doors under President Donald Shonk Bishop mine explodes again Jim Comstock founded the weekly West Virginia Hillbilly Roy Bird Cook received the Award of Merit from the West Virginia Library Association Little Jimmy Dickens left the Grand Ole Opry Irvin Dugan retired as newspaper artist Donald Duncan's sons took over the Duncan Yo-Yo Company Fairfax Stone dedicated as state historic monument and became state park Gunner Gatski played football one year for Detroit The Knights of the South Branch was organized to revive medieval jousting Roy Lee Harmon wrote Unto the Hills Logan High School and its field house and athletic fields were constructed on Hatfield Island Ken Hechler moved to West Virginia to teach at Marshall College (now University) The first interstate highway construction contract in the state was awarded on I-64 for a bridge across a road in Cabell County Jean Lee Latham was awarded the Boys' Clubs of America Junior Book Award for Trail Blazer of the Seas The McClains were approached by WVU professors who feared that early West Virginia histories would be lost if not reprinted Kyle McCormick wrote The Story of Mercer County John Norman served on the aircraft carrier Saratoga A group from West Virginia and Ohio purchased land to establish a college with an independent board of trustees, now Ohio Valley University Marbon Chemical is built The announcement of plans to merge the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central System was made Filippo Colasessano's son began selling pepperoni rolls in his Fairmont lunch spot The Division of Disease Control began a statewide polio vaccination program The Kanawha River bridge was opened in Winfield Red Ribble stopped photographing southern West Virginia Otis Rice began teaching at West Virginia Institute of Technology The Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company company stores were sold The Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company coal reserves were leased to the Island Creek Coal Company Jay Rockefeller went to the International Christian University in Tokyo Shenandoah Downs purchased land north of Charles Town Race Track for night harness racing WVU Rod Hundley became All-American in basketball Jim Sprouse began practicing law Beckley radio station WAJR increased to 5,000 watts Ernest T. Weir died The last high school basketball was played under the African-American West Virginia Athletic Union Benjamin Starks founded the Beacon Journal in Charleston The Federation of Labor and Industrial Union Council agreed to combine as the West Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO West Virginia State College lost its federal land-grant status Stanley H. Martin became president of West Virginia Wesleyan College The Whipple mine shut down and the company store closed The Winfield bridge was completed WSAZ radio switched affiliation to NBC View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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