Walter Dean Myers

Camp Washington-Carver was placed on National Register of Historic Places

Third program for ex-cons to rejust to community life and address matters concerning criminal justice system

West Virginia crime rate peaked

Richard Currey published collection of poetry, Crossing Over: A Vietnam Journal

Harrison H. Ferrell Administration Building was dedicated at West Virginia State

Reckless was filmed in Weirton

The R. D. Bailey Dam was completed

Increase in festivals, recordings and craft outlets showed awareness of folk heritage was firmly established

The Greenbrier River Trail State Park was created

Perry Gresham wrote With Wings as Eagles

Hancock County population peaked at 40,418

Harold Hayslett was awarded the gold medal for cello tone

Forbes Magazine ranked Heck's third nationally in profitability and growth

The homestead exemption was increased to $10,000 and expanded to include owners who are permanently and totally disabled

T. D. Jakes started his first church, Greater Emmanuel Temple of Faith in Montgomery

Supreme Court ruled in State ex rel. Barker v. Manchin, regarding separation of powers among different branches of government

Maryat Lee wrote The Hinton Play

The Libertarian Party fielded its first candidate for statewide office, Jack K. Kelley for governor

Keith Mailard wrote Alex Driving South

Much of Malden was listed as a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places

Catherine Marshall wrote Meeting God at Every Turn

College of Graduate Studies administrative offices were located on the campus of West Virginia State College

Irene McKinney received her Ph.D. from the University of Utah

M. Blane Michael stopped serving as special counsel to Gov. Rockefeller

Fairmont No. 3 Mine closed

Mildred Mitchell-Bateman helped develop the Mental Health Systems Act

The Fairmont State College (now University) Library was renamed the Ruth Ann Musick Library

Don Nehlen came to coach football at WVU

Nicholas County population peaked at 28,126

Chris Sarandon starred as Jesus Christ in The Day Christ Died

Mary Lee Settle wrote The Scapegoat

Sam Snead joined the Senior PGA Tour

Don Blankenship joined Rawl Sales & Processing Company, an A. T. Massey Coal Company subsidiary

Weirton Steel became the nation's largest employee-owned company with implementation of Employee Stock Ownership Plan

The Hinton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places

The distribution operations of Consolidated Gas Supply became Hope Gas and the interstate gas transmission operations became Consolidated Natural Gas Transmission

The David W. Harris Riverfront Park opened in Huntington

St. Colman Church and cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historic Places

Supreme Court Ruling Allen v. West Virginia Human Rights Commission ordered state officials to ensure prompt consideration of human rights complaints

Maryat Lee moved the EcoTheater to Lewisburg

Catherine Marshall's novel Julie was published posthumously

Jack Maurice retired from the Charleston Daily Mail

Irene McKinney published a collection of poetry, The Wasps at the Blue Hexagon

The Metropolitan Theater in Morgantown was placed on the National Register of Historic Places

A devastating flood in Mingo County caused the loss of many homes and business

Waterford Park race track reopened after legislature granted tax concession

Medal of Honor recipient Major General Charles Rogers retired from the military

West Virginia became one of the top ten states as regards marijuana plant eradication

Irene McKinney won a poetry fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts

An extensive renovation of the McLure Hotel in Wheeling was completed

The Department of Mines was merged into a new West Virginia Department of Energy

The West Virginia Motor Speedway was built at Mineral Wells

The Mountain Stage first national broadcast was live from Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina

A grant from the Benedum Foundation provided funds for renovations to three buildings at Beckley College (now Mountain State University)

The WVU Mountaineer mascot figure was registered as a U.S. trademark

A section of Myrtle Beach became the Mountain State's unofficial shoreline

John Norman received the Congressional High Technology Award

Northfork High School was absorbed into Mount View High

Pence Springs Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places

Governor Moore designated U.S. 60 from White Sulphur Springs to Charleston as the Midland Trail Scenic Byway

Cynthia Rylant wrote But I'll Be Back Again

Lawmakers dedicated lottery profits to programs benefiting education, senior citizens, and tourism

The West Virginia College of Graduate Studies officially became the University of West Virginia College of Graduate Studies

Kathy Mattea was named the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year

Jon McBride retired from NASA and the Navy

Irene McKinney published a collection of poetry, Six O'clock Mine Report

The Minnehaha Springs post office closed

Public Radio International took over distribution of Mountain Stage

George Balsama left presidency of Beckley College (now Mountain State University)

The United Methodist Temple building, now John W. Eye Conference Center, was acquired by Beckley College (now Mountain State University)

Walter Dean Myers received the Coretta Scott King Award for his books

First National Bank of Morgantown was acquired by Huntington Banks

The old Norwalk Motor Car Company burned down in Martinsburg

Marc Harshman’s first children’s book, A Little Excitement, was published

Chuck Howley was inducted into the inaugural class of the WVU Sports Hall of Fame

J. Holmes Morrison became president of One Valley Bancorp of Virginia

The Kimball War Memorial was gutted by fire

Donna Jean Boley was the only Republican among 34 state senators

The Governor's council on Literacy was created

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor published Shiloh

Roger Howdyshell died

Dave McCullough began to create several color designs of marbles for a limited run each spring and fall

The Marlinton Opera House was acquired by the Pocahontas County Landmarks Commission to be restored

Louise McNeill published Hill Daughter: New and Selected Poems

The Department of Mines was renamed the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training

A floodwall was built at Williamson to protect the town from the Tug River

Moncove Lake State Park was created

The National Bank of Commerce changed its name to Commerce Bank

A television version of Night of the Hunter was produced

Noah Cottrell died

The Philippi bridge's exterior was reconstructed

S. L. Jones died

A second structure was added to West Virginia Graduate College at its new location in South Charleston

The West Virginia Graduate College became Marshall University College of Graduate Studies

Kenneth E. Smith became the third generation to run the McClain Printing Company when George Smith retired

Attorney General Darrell McGraw was involved in a suit against the tobacco industry that settled the state to $41.5 billion over 25 years

An additional 626 acres was added to Moncove Lake State Park to provide more hunting lands

The Sporting News named Randy Moss college football's top receiver

The Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center was built at the College of West Virginia (now Mountain State University)

The National Conservation Training Center was completed

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's book Shiloh was adopted for film

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor was awarded the Appalachian Medallion by the University of Charleston

Joe Powell retired as president of the West Virginia Labor Federation.

The Pride of West Virginia received the Sudler Trophy as the nation's No. 1 college marching band

The Shavers Fork Coalition was formed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown

Marshall moved from Division 1 AA to Division 1 A

Meriluco was placed on the National Register of Historic Places

The first female trooper resigned from the State Police

Stone & Thomas closed the Charleston store

Anna Marsh caught a 50.37-inch 49.75 lb muskellunge in Stonecoal Lake, setting state record for weight

Toyota built an engine plant at Buffalo

Robert C. Byrd was awarded the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal

The West Virginia National Guard was activated in support of the peacekeeping mission to Bosnia

Major renovations took place at Yeager Airport

Randy Moss led the NFL in touchdown catches

The Catholic Knights of America purchased Mount St. George

College of West Virginia (now Mountain State University) purchased the former Beckley Junior High School campus

The Caperton Indoor Facility was completed at Mountaineer Field

Joe Lovett filed a case in federal district court charging state and federal laws prohibited dumping the tops of mountains into streams

Walter Dean Myers received the Coretta Scott King Award for Harlem

John Nash's biography was published, A Beautiful Mind

An historic iron truss bridge was rebuilt over the New River

Additional business degrees in accounting, management, human resource management and marketing were approved at Ohio Valley College (now University)

Only four ferries still operating on Ohio River

The liturgies at St. George were still being chanted in Arabic

Barbara Smith and Kirk Judd edited Wild Sweet Notes: Fifty Years of West Virginia Poetry, 1950-1999

Louie Glass was sold to Glassworks West Virginia

Ellie Mannette founded Mannette Steel Drums, Ltd

Ellie Mannette received the Trinidad and Tobago Chaconia Silver Medal from the minister of culture

Darrell McGraw won an important settlement against Ohio direct mail operator Benjamin Suarez

New Mennonite congregation started in Hampshire County

Reported 13 Mennonite congregations in West Virginia with total of 568 adherents

Randy Moss led the NFL in touchdown catches

Randy Moss signed a $75 million contract extension with an $18 million signing bonus making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL

The Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia received a national award from the National Endowment for the Arts

West Virginia experienced high losses of native mussels in the Ohio River due to competition of zebra mussels

First Market Bank locations in West Virginia adopted the name National Bank of Commerce

Leonard "Lynn" Davis died

Ohio Valley College (now University) began offering secondary education in English math, natural sciences, physical ed, and social studies and special education

Brad Paisley was named "Top New Male Vocalist" by the Academy of Country Music

Vicky Bullett joined the Charlotte Mystics WNBA team.