1. In 1863, Confederate General William E. Jones led his troops in a surprise attack on the Union garrison at Summersville, in what is now Nicholas County. The Confederates were able to capture the town and its supplies, but were forced to retreat the next day after an unsuccessful attempt to capture a nearby bridge.

2. On April 21, 1908, the first-ever aerial photograph of a West Virginia city was taken. Patrick H. O'Neill, a photographer and aviator, captured an image of downtown Wheeling from his airplane.

3. In 1935, the Tucker County Courthouse in Parsons was destroyed by fire. The blaze started in the basement and quickly spread throughout the building, destroying most of the county's records.

4. On this day in 1956, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources was created. The department is responsible for managing the state's fish and wildlife resources, as well as maintaining parks and forests.

5. In 1977, a large explosion occurred at the Blue Creek Coal Company's No. 5 mine in Kanawha County. The blast killed 12 miners and injured several others. The cause of the explosion was never determined, but it led to increased safety regulations in the mining industry.