Episcopal Church

The first known settlement was near present Cherry Grove

Alexander Spotswood died

Exchange Bank of Virginia in Norfolk established

Organ Cave described

Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company formed by act of Ohio General Assembly

Henry Harvey died in Buffalo

Claude Crozet was reappointed as state engineer of Virginia

Marshall Academy (Marshall College, then Marshall University) was established

Fayette County seat moved from New Haven to Vandalia (Fayetteville)

Judge Isaac R. Douglas bought Happy Retreat

David E. Jackson died

Mary Harris "Mother" Jones was born in Ireland

Daniel Lamb was admitted to the bar

The Monongahela Navigation Company was formed to improve the river for navigation

David Hunter Strother painted a portrait of Hunter John Myers from memory

Samuel Price married Jane Stuart

Mercer County was formed with Princeton as the county seat

Alfred Beckley settled in Beckley with his family

W.W. Fetterman built a saw mill in Valley Falls

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)

West Virginia passed its first game laws

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

Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller married Alexander McVeigh Miller

State Board of Agriculture set up by legislature

Legislature created a state banking department

There were 49 state banks and 22 national banks in West Virginia

Collection of Ambrose Bierce's Civil War stories, Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (also known as In the Midst of Life) was published

Fannie Cobb Carter earned teaching degree from Storer College in Harpers Ferry

WVU Mountaineers played first football game against University of Pittsburgh

First bridge built across the Kanawha River, in Charleston

Clarksburg investors acquired the Telegram

First principal of present Concord University Capt. James Harvey French died

James Dye graduated from Starling Medical College in Cincinnati

William Dawson became chairman of Republican state committee

Alexander L. Wade's education graduating system was made compulsory statewide

Stephen Elkins was appointed secretary of war by President Harrison

Town of Ansted was incorporated, named for David T. Ansted

The Central City brewery was built by American Brewing Company

Fostoria Glass Company relocated to Moundsville

Construction on Graceland began in Elkins

John P. Hale wrote History of the Great Kanawha Valley

Hamilton Hatter became a member of the college board of trustees

George Imboden was elected the first mayor of Ansted

The "Australian" or standardized printed ballot was adopted in West Virginia

Paris Brumfield was murdered by his son Charley in the wake of the Lincoln County Feud

The "government lock" was built on Little Kanawha River near Burning Springs

The federal government built a fifth lock and dam near burning springs

The Moundsville Daily Echo was established as a weekly newspaper

C. F. Millspaugh arrived at WVU

The Mount Carbon Prehistoric Site was investigated by Col. P. W. Norris for the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of American Ethnology

John T. McGraw purchased the land at Marlinton.

Pruntytown was originally established as the Industrial School for Boys

Pruntytown was originally established as the Industrial School for Boys.

Postmaster General John Wanamaker conducted a limited experiment with rural free delivery in the Eastern Panhandle

Labor organization lobbied for the law regulating scrip

The Seneca Glass Company opened in Fostoria, Ohio

James David Shaw became editor of the Moundsville Daily Echo

Telephone switchboards were installed at Clarksburg

The Martinsburg Mining, Manufacturing and Improvement Company developed a subdivision for workers

McDowell County seat located to Welch

The Norfolk & Western Railway Company extended its line into McDowell County

The Historical Society asked the West Virginia legislature for funding

Harriet Lyon became the first woman to receive a degree from WVU

The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway was completed to Martin's Ferry Ohio

Emanuel Wilson authored a new election law

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

The beaver was extirpated for its fur

John Harrington Cox received his Ph.D. from Harvard

Julia Davis married William McMillan Adams

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

George Bird Evans bought a historic farm near Brandonville

Farm tenancy prevailed on 25% of all West Virginia farms

Harcourt, Brace and Company published Louise McNeill's book of poems, Gauley Mountain

Harcourt, Brace and Company published Louise McNeill's book of poems, Gauley Mountain

There were reported 55 one-room schools in Gilmer County

West Virginia Conservation Commission purchased land for roadside park, now Grandview

Davis Grubb went to New York City as a page for NBC

Davis Grubb's first commercial writing was a show for WBLK-Clarksburg

Gov. Homer Holt sent a letter promising support if the striking miners in Fayette, Raleigh, Mercer and McDowell counties returned to work without labor contract

Big Bill Lias opened a string of casino-nightclubs along Market Street in Wheeling

Enrollment at Marshall College (now University) peaked at 2,177 students

Louise McNeill married Roger Pease

Bishop Edwin Holt Hughes was instrumental in uniting the three branches of the Methodist Church

West Virginia had purchased 311 acres for Audra State Park

Lew Burdette learned to pitch with American Viscose Rayon Company Team

A community board, which helped raise funds to build Charleston Memorial Hospital, was formed in home of Mr. and Mrs. William Ziebold Sr.

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation established by Michael and Sarah Benedum

Pete Everest was assigned to China-Burma-India region

Smokey Bear was introduced by the Wartime Advertising Council

"Biggie" Goldberg served in the U.S. Army for two years

Davis Grubb's first published story was "The Lollipop Tree" in Good Housekeeping

The GI Bill of Rights provided generous educational benefits to WWII veterans

The Jones Diamond was first displayed at the Smithsonian

Jean Lee Latham received a Silver Wreath for her work training Signal Corps inspectors for the War Department

The first meeting of the West Virginia League of Women Voters was held

Ned Cline died

Kermit McKeever became superintendent of Watoga State Park

A summer youth camp began at Minnehaha Springs

The Monongahela Power & Railway Company was completely out of the streetcar business

Eleanor Steber sang at the Democratic National Convention

Increasing pressure to install a black administration at Storer College led to the forced retirement of President Henry T. McDonald

Institute produced 131,000 tons of butadiene

W.W. Trent was reelected state superintendent of Schools

The government began selling the Tygart Valley Homesteads to settlers

The United Carbon Building appeared on the cover of Pencil Points architectural magazine

The nursing school at Welch Community Hospital ceased operation

Only 118 students enrolled at West Liberty State College

Cornelius Charlton moved with his family to New York City

Appalachian Electric Power provided electricity in 21 counties

Clyde Beale pardoned by Governor Patteson

Walter Barnes wrote The Teacher Speaks

West Virginia Conservation Commission constructed Baker Lake

The Berkeley Woolen Company closed its operations in Martinsburg

Pearl S. Buck founded the international adoption agency, Welcome House, based in Pennsylvania

Lew Burdette married Mary Ann Shelton

The state's first television station WSAZ-TV went on air

West Virginia chose electric chair over hanging for capital punishment

Northern cardinal became the state bird

William E. Davies published first full report on West Virginia caves

The beginnings of the Cedar Lakes Conference Center originated in an act of the legislature

B'nai Jacob congregation moved to new synagogue

Little Jimmy Dickens joined the Grand Ole Opry at WSM

Henry Hazelwood retired as principal

The Booth family sold the Dreamland to group of Huntington businessmen

Joanne Dru appeared in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Forestlands of West Virginia covered 60 % of state

Major flood brought devastation to Grant County

Capt. Mary B. Greene, wife of Capt. Gordon Greene, died

Carroll High School in Hamlin was destroyed by fire

Alberta Pierson Hannum's book Roseanna McCoy was released as a motion picture

The Health Department shifted its emphasis from communicable diseases to chronic illnesses and other public health issues.

Cam Henderson resigned as the Marshall football coach

The Huntington Publishing Co. started WSAZ-TV Channel 3, first TV station in West Virginia and one of earliest in the country

The construction of Bluestone Dam on the New River was completed

Rush Holt changed his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican

William Flannery became speaker of the House of Delegates

Hayes Picklesimer succeeded John L. Dickinson as president of Kanawha Valley Bank

Kelly Axe and Tool Company changed its name to True Temper

Larry Richardson and Bob Osborne joined the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers

Berry Pink and Sellers Peltier founded the Marble King Company

Clarence Meadows opened a law office in Charleston

Morgantown annexed Suncrest and Sabraton

West Virginia Mountain State Gospel Singers Corporation invited groups from Greenbrier and Fayette counties to participate in Nicholas County homecoming of Mount Nebo Gospel Sings

Marble King Factory moved to St. Marys

DuPont plant built at Washington Bottom

Alfred Knobler created the Pilgrim Glass Corporation

Mole Hill changed its name to Mountain

Jack Rollins wrote the lyrics to "Peter Cottontail"

Fred Schaus made All-American in basketball at WVU

Union Carbide developed its technical center above its South Charleston plant

Red Sovine began recording with MGM, Decca, and eventually Starday

Marshal played in the Tangerine Bowl

Buddy Starcher's "I'll Still Write Your Name in the Sand" became a hit

Weldon Cook and Robert Livingston Russell formed the Cook-Russell Theater Corp

The sugar maple became the state tree of West Virginia

The West Virginia State Police Academy began operation

Commercial television cable installation began operating at Piedmont and Cameron

The second USS Huntington was decommissioned after three tours to the Mediterranean

WAJR-AM in Morgantown became the flagship station for statewide network distribution of WVU football and basketball games

Land was donated to the state for the Watters Smith Memorial State Park

Wheeling Dollar Saving & Trust acquired National Exchange Bank

The State Education Association changed its name to the West Virginia Education Association

Riley Wilson became seriously ill at the inauguration of President Truman

Virginia Mae Brown became executive secretary of the West Virginia Judicial Council

Sam Jones signed with the Cleveland Indians

Elizabeth Harden married Virgil Gilmore, a future two-term Charleston city councilman

Toni Stone played for the San Francisco Sea Lions, then joined the New Orleans Creoles

Muriel Dressler published first collection of poetry, Appalachia, My Land

Public kindergartens were mandated

The federal Endangered Species act was passed

Pete Everest retired from the Air Force

Clyde Ware filmed When the Line Goes Through

Denise Giardina received a B.A. from West Virginia Wesleyan

Tom Screven helped launch the Hearth and Fair magazine

Governor Moore proclaimed West Virginia's first observance of Grandparents Day

The Overseas National Airway changed the name of the Greene Line to the Delta Queen Steamboat Co.

Hal Greer retired from basketball

Research was published tracing the origin of some West Virginia Guinea families to specific biracial and triracial unions

A study of the Hammons family resulted in a double recording from the Library of Congress and a Rounder Records release

Betty Bartholomew retired as WVU herbarium curator

WVU Educational Building dedicated on grounds of CAMC Memorial Division

Stephen Coonts left active duty in Navy and moved to Colorado

Muriel Dressler published second collection of poetry, Appalachia

Ellis Dungan produced For Liberty and Union

Edgewood Country Club built a small clubhouse and golf course at Derrick Creek new Pocatalico

Breece D'J Pancake wrote short story "Time and Again"

Louise McNeill became West Virginia poet laureate

William K. Simmons became president of Glenville State College

Goldenseal magazine was placed under the new Division of Culture and History

Davis Grubb returned to West Virginia for a statewide speaking tour

The legislature created a consolidated Department of Health combining the old Department of Health, the Department of Mental Health, Commission on Mental Retardation, public institutions and smaller boards and commissions

Legislation created the West Virginia Division of Culture and History

Protesting finally ended over the Kanawha County textbook controversy

Paul D. Marshall & Associates was incorporated in Charleston

John Sayles wrote the novel Union Dues

J. Kemp McLaughlin retired from the military

Marshall University School of Medicine was established

M. Blane Michael began serving as special counsel to Governor Rockefeller

West Virginia Folk Art Apprenticeship Program established by Augusta

Clerk Darrell E. Holmes took over the as editor of the Blue Book

Buffalo Historical Society was formed

Construction began on a surgery suite addition at Cabell Huntington Hospital

Gale Catlett named Coach of the Year by Eastern Basketball magazine

Pine Run School moved to Cedar Creek State Park

Cheat Mountain salamander placed on the federal threatened species list

Stephen Coonts wrote The Minotaur

Ellis Dungan received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the West Virginia International Film Festival

The School Building Authority was created

Mark Samels released Forks of Cheat

Salem College was bought by Japanese interests and became Salem-Teikyo University (later Salem International University)

The Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) was created

Homer Hickam published his first book, Torpedo Junction

Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College was founded

The Edwards Moonlight was brought back to the Kanawha River

Extension Homemaker clubs changed name to Community and Educational Outreach Service clubs

Fairmont Times West Virginian was purchased by Community Newspaper Holding

Gerald Milnes published Play of a Fiddle

First bald eagle nest outside Eastern Panhandle discovered on Blennerhassett Island

Genesis Health Care Service Inc. dissolved

Clay County deep mining fell

West Virginia Supreme Court referred to Franklin Cleckley's handbooks as "the bible for West Virginia's judges and attorneys"

Arden Cogar Jr. competed in the first international team wood cutting competition

Stephen Coonts wrote America

West Virginia had 11th lowest incarceration rate

George Crumb's Star Child won Grammy Award

Documentary Hazel Dickens: It's Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song was released

Hazel Dickens won the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship

Hazel Dickens received the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship

West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources assumed responsibility of funding for food stamp program

Legislature lifted prohibition on Sunday hunting, subject to local vote