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Watoga State Park
Go back to Watoga State Park
1868
Fred E. Brooks was born Other events that happened on or around 1868 Schools for black children were being built in 18 communities in West Virginia A construction bid for Clarksburg School, an elementary black school, was accepted A springhouse was built at Barger Springs (Summers County) Jacob Blair was appointed minister to Costa Rica The new Harpers Ferry bridge was completed Thayer sold Ceredo to mortgage holder, Charles B. Hoard Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad was created Gen. William C. Wickham became president of the C&O Railroad The state purchased the institution now known as Fairmont State University Vedette changed name to the West Virginian Freedmen's Bureau ceased operation in West Virginia President Grant appointed Nathan Goff Jr. U.S. district attorney for West Virginia Catherine Jackson White purchased Jackson's Mill John Kenna finished his studies at St. Vincents Academy in Wheeling Lincoln County's borders changed The Agricultural College of West Virginia was renamed West Virginia University at the recommendation of Alexander Martin Dr. H. Stieren of St. Louis established a bromine factory in Mason County The Grand Army of the Republic established Decoration Day, predecessor to Memorial Day The legislature created two public school districts in Morgantown, white and black Anna Maria Jarvis organized Mothers' Friendship Day celebration The steamboat Mountain Boy was built on the Monongahela River at Brownsville, Pennsylvania All refineries except one founded by Johnson Newlon Camden closed due to his partnership with Standard Oil Trust George Peterkin graduated from the Theological Seminary of Virginia. Drilling for oil and gas began in Roane County William Rosecrans served as minister to Mexico John Cunningham acquired the Phillip R. Thompson property, which he had incorporated and named Kanawha City Senator Peter Van Winkle cast the next-to-last vote and only Republican vote that saved President Andrew Johnson from being removed on impeachment charges Reported 200 patients were being cared for at Weston State Hospital Winfield was incorporated
1925
The state purchased land from the Watoga Land Association for the Watoga State Forest Other events that happened on or around 1925 The state park system began
1926
A first tower was built in Watoga State Park Other events that happened on or around 1926 There was a total of 64 African Methodist Episcopal churches and 2,298 members Harry R. Wyllie purchased the Allegheny Lodge for use as a private estate American Gas & Electric Power Company consolidated a dozen smaller companies including Appalachian Power Dr. Maggie Ballard graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine The backers of the Beckley Post bought the Raleigh Herald, naming it the Post-Herald "Billy Richardson's Last Ride" was written by Carson J. Robinson Chear River dam, built to generate electricity, was completed Start of the new DuPont plant at Belle Earl Core joined biology department at WVU Hallie Elkins made gift of Halliehurst to Davis & Elkins College New campus developed surrounding the Elkins mansion Wehrle B. Geary and A. W. Cox merged resources to begin building Fairmont Times moved to the building of West Virginian Donald R. Gaudineer became district ranger for the Greenbrier Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest Governor's Mansion added servant quarters above the garage The High Gate mansion was sold to the Sisters of St Joseph after the death of J. E. Watson The Lovett family sold the Hilltop House in Harpers Ferry to Fred McGee The Hinton News building was constructed by H. C. Ogden The House of Delegates impeached Auditor John C. Bond Milton Humphreys published a Civil War memoir, Military Operations 1861-1863 The Kanawha route became part of the transcontinental Midland Trial highway The Louis Glass company was established John Matheus's short story "Swamp Moccasin" won first prize in the Crisis magazine short story contest Additions were built at the Mount St. George mansion in Wellsburg Karl Myers compiled a poetry collection, The Quick Years Wheeling accepted Waddington Farm and renamed it Oglebay Park The Nurses Residence was built at City Hospital Training School for Nurses in Wheeling to house the large classes of nurses The mill, shops, and Shay locomotives at Curtin were moved to Bergoo. Potomac State was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The Sunset News began publication in Bluefield Ada "Bricktop" Smith opened a Paris club called the Music Box The Smoot Theater was built by the Smoot Amusement Company Spring Hill Cemetery acquired large tracts from the Wehrle and Jefferies farms Weirton Steel contracted for the construction of a continuous sheet steel mill P. D. Strausbaugh initiated a summer field course called botanical expedition at WVU The Wellsburg, Bethany & Washington Railroad streetcar line ceased operation The First Regiment was designated as the 201st Infantry The Webster Springs Hotel was destroyed by fire The road through Winfield was paved Paul Wissmach died Hack Wilson started playing for the Chicago Cubs
1933
Camp Watoga was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps Other events that happened on or around 1933 County unit plan for school systems was adopted West Virginia counties had to reduce term length Doddridge County High School was created The flat-spired three-toothed land snail was discovered Legislature established the Conservation Commission The Greenbrier College for Women was chartered as Greenbrier College Perry Gresham received a bachelor of divinity degree from Texas Christian University West Virginia erected a replica cabin and stone memorial at the birthplace of Nancy Hanks A great trial was held against the contractor of the Hawks Nest Tunnel by those who contracted silicosis Legislative act put every public road in West Virginia under direct state control The Democrats regained control of the governorship Charles Hodel was instrumental in developing the Beckley-Mount Hope Airport The radical West Virginia Mine Workers Union and the West Virginia Labor Party both collapsed Act replaced game protectors with conservation officers The West Virginia World's Fair exhibit was housed at Jackson's Mill The Charles Town Racetrack opened in Jefferson County Frances Benjamin Johnston began photographing early architecture of the American South William C. Kelly died Kumbrabow State Forest was created in response to the Civilian Conservation Corps Act The National Industrial Recovery Act guaranteed workers the right to collective bargaining and outlawed yellow-dog contracts Democrats took control of the West Virginia Senate The progressive Roosevelt administration secured passage of the National Industrial Recovery Act Melvin Goins was born Pare Lorentz conceived, edited and published The Roosevelt Year, 1933 West Virginia acquired the land for Lost River State Park Master Marble and Bridgeport Marble exhibited millions of marbles at the World's Fair in Chicago The Gallipolis Locks and Dam began construction The Civilian Conservation Corps first became active in Monongahela National Forest Prohibition ends Cacapon State Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps The National Recovery Administration was created with the passing of the National Industrial Recovery Ac Legislation passed establishing the Conservation Commission of West Virginia Camp Woodbine and Camp Cranberry were established by Civilian Conservation Corps in Richwood Ruth Rohde served as U.S. Minister to Denmark Eleanor Roosevelt convinced FDR to use congressionally approved federal funds to establish the first national subsistence homestead in Arthurdale Lynnside Manor, Monroe County, the traditional home of the Lewis family, burned down William Smith O'Brien became West Virginia secretary of state H. M. Calhoun died Buddy Starcher became popular performer at WCHS Charleston State Police field structure shrank to two companies State Police Criminal Investigation Bureau was organized Mel Moore and Billy Long led a strike at Weirton Steel Employees bought the Wheeling Traction Company and re-named it Cooperative Transit Company Festus Summers finished his doctorate at WVU The Braxton Democrat newspaper in Sutton compiled and reprinted the Wm. Byrne tales of Elk River West Virginia property tax revenue was at $27 million Fred Torrey created the "Lincoln Walks at Midnight" sculpture W. W. Trent became superintendent of Schools UMWA unionized the West Virginia coalfields Fred E. Brooks died WOBU changed to WCHS WCHS stopped sharing time with WSAZ in Huntington Wheeling Bank & Trust Company merged with Dollar Saving & Trust to form the Wheeling Dollar Saving & Trust Company The Athenaeum became the Daily Athenaeum Clyde O. Law became board chairman of West Virginia Wesleyan College The WWVA's Wheeling Jamboree country music show began A new central portion of Wheeling Hospital was constructed WHIS increased to 250 watts A strike at Widen occurred The Coal House was built in Williamson of bituminous coal Edwin S. Maclin became president of West Virginia Institute of Technology
1934
The state purchased additional acreage from the Maryand Lumber Company to create Watoga State Forest
1934
Camp Seebert was established by the Civilian Conservation Corps Other events that happened on or around 1934 Peach production was at 200,000 bushels The first West Virginia State Poultry Association meeting was held in Morgantown. Eleanor was built as a federal project to relocate displaced families. West Virginia repealed state prohibition Sam Snead became a golf professional The Fairmont & Clarksburg Traction merger became Monongahela West Penn Service Company Another legal case concerning the Swan lands Grace Martin Taylor quit serving as president of the Allied Artists of West Virginia W. W. Trent oversaw implementation of the county unit system of public schools Land was acquired at Dailey and Valley Bend for the Tygart Valley Homesteads Eleanor Roosevelt first visited the Tygart Valley Homesteads Union Carbide produced 80 chemicals and plastics Watoga was changed from a state forest to a state park The Highway historical marker program began Paul H. Price was appointed director and state geologist of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Antonio Modarellio took over as conductor of the Wheeling Symphony
1935
Camp Will Rogers was opened by the Civilian Conservation Corps Other events that happened on or around 1935 Pare Lorentz was contracted by the U.S. Resettlement Administration to create a motion picture about the New Deal James Allen took over as president of Marshall College (now University) Walter Martens designed the Cavalier and Belvedere Apartments in Charleston Walter L. "Bill" Hart became editor of the Dominion-News The National Historic Landmarks program was authorized The Social Security law was passed Nylon was invented in DuPont laboratory in Delaware The Wheeling Daily News merged with Wheeling Register to form the Wheeling News-Register Potomac State College was placed under the management of the Board of Governors of West Virginia University The law was amended to give the PSC more control over utility expansion, construction, and self-dealing The Elkins-Randolph County Airport was completed Nat Reese's family moved to Princeton The showboat Omar was originally launched by the Ohio River Company of Cincinnati Benjamin Rosenbloom began serving as Wheeling's vice mayor The property of the Charleston Interurban Railroad was bought by Charleston Transit Company The Buckhannon tannery burned down The U.S. Rivers and Harbors Act was passed Construction on the Tygart Dam began The First National Bank of Parkersburg was one of the largest national bank in West Virginia Arthur B. Waugh won the Pulitzer Prize in journalism Vienna was incorporated as a city Libbey-Owens-Ford bought the Vitrolite Company Pennsylvania Central Airlines began service at Wertz Airport Paul N. Elbin became president of West Liberty State College Innis C. Davis became state historian and archivist Supporters of industrial unionism organized the Committee for Industrial Organization WHIS increased to 500 watts WMMN increased to 1,000 watts and became an important outlet for country and western music performers Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz pioneered the leucotomy, a radical form of brain surgery
Jul 01, 1937
Watoga State Park was opened to the public Other events that happened on or around July 01, 1937 Babcock State Park opened U.S. Farm Security Administration was established under the New Deal
1937
CCC Camps Seebert and Will Rogers were closed Other events that happened on or around 1937 Turquoise color was introduced for Fiestaware Louis W. Chappell began field recording of folksongs Garnet was classified as first-class high school Glenville State College received admission to the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education "Biggie" Goldberg lead University of Pittsburgh to the national football championship The Model L Gravely tractor was introduced Benjamin Gravely retired from the day-to-day management of the company The National Park Service conducted a survey of the Jefferson County site for the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park The U.S. Department of Agriculture began purchasing property in Randolph County to reforest the land and reclaim streams to create Holly River State Park U.S. Army Corp of Engineers constructed a floodwall to protect Huntington from the Ohio The Huttonsville Correctional Center was founded as part of the West Virginia penitentiary system Monsignor Thomas Quirk died Louis Johnson served in the Roosevelt Administration as assistant secretary of war Kenova experienced a disastrous flood The State Labor Federation joined the CIO's new West Virginia state organization Blanche Lazzell returned to Provincetown to study with Hans Hofmann Pare Lorentz shot and edited The River Lost River State Park opened Sam Mallison was hired as head of public relations for the Benedum-Trees Company The Marshall College centennial brought descendants of John Marshall to the campus for the unveiling of a bust of the chief justice Walter Martens completed the Riverview Terrace apartments in Charleston The Appalachian Trail was established The Reber Radio Telescope was originally built by Grote Reber The PSC was given jurisdiction over motor carriers of goods and passengers. Walter Reuther represented 30,000 workers in 76 shops for the United Auto Workers The original 440 sites designated by the Commission on Historic and Scenic Highway Markers were erected The Harrison Rural Electrification Association was established Recreation facilities were opened to the public in Seneca State Forest Flood waters rose in the lower section of the Smoot Theater Sam Snead joined the Professional Golf Association tour Harley Staggers was elected Mineral County sheriff The National Labor Relations Board charged Weirton Steel with unfair labor practices The United Steelworks signed a contract at Wheeling Steel Joe Stydahar was first named to the All-National Football League team DuPont's Belle Works began world production of nylon A large wood mill was built in the Tygart Valley Homesteads The trade center building in Tygart Valley Homesteads was completed The women of Friendly seated an all-female municipal government Volkmar Wentzel became a writer and photographer for National Geographic Phil Conley sold the West Virginia Review Harrison Ferrell became dean of West Virginia State College (now University) West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company built a bleached paperboard mill in South Carolina Wheeling Downs opened for harness racing Patty Willis exhibited her work at the Society of International Artists in New York Carter G. Woodson began the publication of The Negro History Bulletin Joseph Newman Alderson became the national WPA director Grote Reber built a telescope with a 31.4-foot diameter parabolic dish in his backyard Katherine Johnson graduated from West Virginia State College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and French Sam Jones won the state marble-shooting championship
1938
An area for an arboretum was set aside in Watoga State Park Other events that happened on or around 1938 The Short Ballot Amendment was rejected by voters Jazz singer Jennie Smith was born Report by Paul A. T. Noon and Mildred W. Sandoe showed 88% of West Virginia were without library services The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers began at WHIS radio in Bluefield Pare Lorentz was appointed head of the U.S. Film Service by President Franklin Roosevelt Upton Sears made a special crosscut saw to cut the famous Mingo Oak Jack Maurice joined the staff of the Charleston Daily Mail as a reporter Howard Gray became president of the Meadow River Lumber Company The federal prison camp at Mill Point opened Congress approved construction of flood-control reservoir on the Mud River Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was incorporated The New York Central merged with the K&M, K&WV and other railroads The Greenbrier County Museum Committee was created The wooden deck of the Philippi Covered Bridge was removed and replaced with a concrete deck supported by steel girders and new intermediate concrete piers Pinnacle Rock State Park opened The first annual "Feast of the Ramson" was held in Richwood Ruth Rohde served on the advisory board of Alderson's Federal Reformatory for Women Hubert Skidmore published Heaven Came So Near Ada "Bricktop" Smith made radio broadcast in France The West Virginia Department of Mines first reported production figures for surface mining The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Tygart Dam Clint Thomas suffered an ankle injury The dental hygiene department opened at West Liberty State College A West Liberty State College branch campus opened in Wheeling The state was divided into four regions for the West Virginia Athletic Union basketball tournament WVU had 3,500 students and 150 faculty Patty Willis exhibited her work at the Society of International Artists in New York Joe L. Smith Jr applied for a broadcast license Fairmont radio station WMMN increased to 5,000 watts Grote Reber confirmed that radiation at radio wavelengths was reaching the earth from outer space
1942
CCC Camp Watoga was closed Other events that happened on or around 1942 West Virginia State Board of Education adopted flag-salute regulations Florence Blanchfield was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel Construction on the Bluestone Dam began Alonzo Brooks returned to French Creek Log lodge, two framed dormitories, swimming pool and bathhouse constructed at Camp Washington-Carver Brandon Hass sold the property now known as Cathedral State Park to the state The Charleston Ordnance Center received the coveted Army-Navy "E" production award Carl Rutherford learned to play in same tunings as others Julia Davis wrote The Sun Climbs Slow U.S. Farm Security Administration came to an end Ken Hechler was drafted as an infantry private Two separate groups of Italian POWs were imprisoned in West Virginia The first and largest contingent of Italian POWs arrived to build Camp Ashford Andrew Gardner Jackson died Gordon L. Bennett was the first executive secretary of the Library Commission The Linsly School became known as the Linsly Military Institute The Lost World Caverns cave was discovered as the Grapevine Cave Frank McEnteer arrived in the Middle East Kermit McKeever became superintendent of Lost River State Park J. Kemp McLaughlin was assigned to the 92nd heavy bombardment group of the Eighth Air Force Mercer County's miners produced 3,500,000 tons of coal Arnold Miller joined the army Okey Mills enlisted in the army as paratrooper The Civilian Conservation Corps was terminated Calvin W. Price received an honorary law degree from West Virginia University. Dyke Raese coached the West Virginia University men's basketball team to a major sports national championship. The Schoolhouse Cave survey was completed Hugh Shott served in U.S. Senate Hubert Skidmore wrote Hill Lawyer Sam Snead had won 29 tournaments President of UMWA District 17 Van Bittner resigned Wertz Field Airport closed Only 212 students enrolled at West Liberty State College Phil Conley re-acquired the West Virginia Review Antonia Modarelli became director of the Charleston Civic Orchestra The Works Progress Administration ceased operation
Oct 18, 2021
Watoga State Park was designated a Dark Sky Park View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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