Kathy Mattea

A craft sales shop was established at the Culture Center in Charleston

Ruth Ann Musick published Coffin Hollow

It was discovered that Friars Hole Cave connected with Snedegars Cave

Glade Creek Mill was dedicated

Excavation at Grave Creek Mound by the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey identified a moat surrounding the mound

K. K. Hall granted injunctions against a wildcat coal strike

The Raleigh Register and Post-Herald of Beckley were sold to Clay Communications

Recorded 26 instant libraries serving the residents of West Virginia

Corridor E (now I-68) was completed as part of the Appalachian Development Highway system

Kanawha Valley Bank moved into the new One Valley Square building

Logan County began production of the drama, The Aracoma Story

Harley Warrick painted a Mail Pouch sign in the State Museum

Three new justices were seated on the five-member court after the general election

Irene McKinney published her first book of poems, The Girl with the Stone in Her Lap

New Mennonite Congregation started in Monroe County

The Midwives Alliance of West Virginia was founded

Alan Mollohan married Barbara Whiting

Morgan Morgan's log house was restored by the Berkeley County Historical Society

The Morgantown Dominion Post began publishing once a day

Two cougars were captured in Pocahontas County

The Greenbrier Historical Society moved its museum from the city library to the North House

Breece D'J Pancake entered the creative writing program at University of Virginia

Jayne Anne Phillips enrolled in the University of Iowa's Writers Workshop

A stone was dedicated in Lewisburg to honor Dick Pointer's heroism

Pricketts Fort State Park opened during the 1976 Bicentennial

Elinor Horwitz wrote Contemporary Folk Artists

Otis Rice became book review editor of West Virginia History

Soupy Sales hosted ABC's Junior Almost Anything Goes

Chris Sarandon was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and a Best Acting Debut Golden Globe Award for Dog Day Afternoon

Red Sovine wrote the song "Teddy Bear"

Anne Spencer's Lynchburg home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

The West Virginia State Farm Museum was started by Walden Roush

The Stifel family deeded the Edemar estate to Oglebay Institute for a fine arts center

Boyd Stutler's John Brown materials were acquired by the State Archives

The Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation was chartered by the Unitarian Universalist Association

Control of the WAJR company was transferred to the Greer family heirs

Uncle Homer Walker performed at the Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife

Charles W. Ferguson II died

WesBanco became a bank holding company

The Archives and History moved to the Culture Center

The West Virginia Department of Culture and History was created by legislature

Jim Comstock first tried to sell the West Virginia Hillbilly newspaper

Wheeling Downs began dog racing

The WVSSAC reestablished the girls state basketball tournament

The Graham House was added to the National Register of Historic Places

Barry Vance moved permanently to West Virginia

John Chambers went to work for IBM

John McKay became coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Roger Howdyshell bought Marble King

John Sayles and Maggie Renzie arrived in West Virginia to produce a film about the Matewan Massacre

Willow Glen "McKinley's Palace" was added to the National Register of Historic Places

No known granny-midwives were practicing in West Virginia

State Supreme Court ruled on La Rue v La Rue, which created the concept of equitable distribution of marital assets

Main Street Morgantown was organized

West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Mountain Stage began as a radio show hosted by Larry Groce and George Daugherty

Waterford Park (later Mountaineer) racetrack closed

The "Big John" dragline scoop came to the Hobet 21 surface mine in Boone and Lincoln counties

The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake was published by Atlantic Monthly Press/Little Brown

Silver Creek ski area opened

The major northern and southern branches of American Presbyterianism reunited

Ronald Ohl became president of Salem College

The Seneca Glass Company closed

Ada "Bricktop" Smith published her autobiography

Michael Smith recorded his first album, the Michael W. Smith Project

Silver Creek ski area opened down the mountain from Snowshoe

Tobacco was the second most valuable farm crop in West Virginia

Stephen and Deborah Starks continued publication of the Beacon Journal under the name West Virginia Beacon Digest

A continuous-care and kidney dialysis center was dedicated at Wheeling Hospital

Additional repairs were made to the Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Winterplace ski area opened

WSAZ music changed from program format to country music

The Diamond department store closed

"Diamond Teeth" Mary McClain appeared in the documentary Free Show Tonight

Marc Harshman's first book of poetry, Turning Out the Stones, was published

The Charleston Gazette-Mail named Buck Harless West Virginian of the Year

George Daugherty and Larry Groce hosted Mountain Stage

McCoy's Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Congressman Alan Mollohan was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee

Mount St. George was added to the National Register of Historic Places

Regular national broadcasts of Mountain Stage began on National Public Radio

Zebra mussels were introduced from Europe to the Great Lakes by commercial barge traffic

Henry Payne was runner up for the Pulitzer Prize.

The Peter Tarr furnace was partially restored.

A new division was created within the PSC to provide assistance to public water and wastewater providers.

Otis Rice became vice chairman of the Kanawha County Bicentennial Commission

The Smoot Theater stopped serving as a movie theater

The State Supreme Court ruled on Cook v. Heck's regarding the firing of workers

United National Bank joined with Intermountain Bankshares and Kanawha Banking and Trust

The Education Foundation changed its name to West Virginia Historical Education Foundation

Pence Springs Resort property was purchased and renovated as a hotel

Thomas W. Cole left as president of West Virginia State College (now University)

Roomier pens making use of natural features were installed at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center at French Creek

The West Virginia Turnpike accommodated about 5 million cars

WVU Mountaineer Field football stadium expanded to 63,175 seats

A master's degree in business administration was first offered at West Virginia Wesleyan College

Rachael Worby became music director of Wheeling Symphony

The Henderson Hall historic district was added to the National Register

Robert C. Gillespie became president of West Virginia Institute of Technology

Katherine Johnson retired from NASA

Conchata Ferrell married Arnie Anderson, a sound mixer

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

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 Newbery Honor Book Award for Scorpions

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

The Glenville State College Pioneer Center was renamed the Heflin Center in honor of the president

A 1,000-vehicle parking lot and visitor complex was built outside the lower town at Harpers Ferry

West Virginia was reapportioned from four congressional districts to three following the 1990 census

The Hatfield-McCoy Trail Coalition was formed

Harold Hayslett's article "Shaping Blocks for Cello Sides" was published in The Journal of the Violin Society of America

Jordache Enterprises purchased Heck's for $1 and assumption of large debts

The Itmann Company Store was placed on the National Register of Historic Places

Pare Lorentz was awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History

Melvin Lentz cut through a 20-inch ponderosa pine in 19.76 seconds with a one-person crosscut saw

Reported 128,168 manufactured homes in West Virginia

The B&O Shop in Martinsburg closed

The Martinsburg Evening Journal changed from an afternoon to a morning newspaper and changed its name to Morning Journal

Arch A. Moore Jr. pleaded guilty to federal charges of mail fraud, tax fraud, extortion and obstruction of justice, and was imprisoned

The first video lottery machines were installed at the Mountaineer Race Track

Vicky Bullett played professional basketball in Italy until 1997 and was a four-time all-star in the Italian League.