Today In History
5 Fun Facts About March 7 In West Virginia History
1. The city of Parkersburg was incorporated on March 7, 1860. Located in Wood County, Parkersburg is the third largest city in West Virginia and sits at the confluence of the Little Kanawha and Ohio rivers. 2. On March 7, 1912, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill creating what...
5 Fun Facts About March 6 In West Virginia History
1. On March 6, 1863, West Virginia was admitted as the 35th state of the United States. The state was formed during the Civil War when the western counties of Virginia broke away from the rest of the state, which had seceded from the Union. 2. The first Belle Boyd...
5 Fun Facts About March 5 In West Virginia History
1. Welch Riot (1921): On March 5, 1921, a violent confrontation between striking miners and law enforcement officers erupted in Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia. The conflict, known as the Welch Riot, left seven officers and an unknown number of miners dead. The incident highlighted the tensions and conflicts that...
5 Fun Facts About March 4 In West Virginia History
1. March 4, 1865: West Virginia officially became a state On March 4, 1865, West Virginia was officially admitted as the 35th state of the United States. The state was formed during the Civil War and broke away from Virginia to remain loyal to the Union. The admission of West...
5 Fun Facts About March 3 In West Virginia History
1. On March 3, 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state to join the Union during the height of the American Civil War. It was the only state formed during the war and was created out of the western counties of Virginia that remained loyal to the Union. 2. One...
5 Fun Facts About March 2 In West Virginia History
1. On March 2, 1867, West Virginia became the first state to regulate the practice of medicine by establishing a medical board. This board is responsible for licensing doctors and ensuring that they meet educational and professional standards. Today, the West Virginia Board of Medicine continues to protect the public...
5 Fun Facts About March 1 In West Virginia History
1. West Virginia became the 35th state: On March 1, 1863, West Virginia officially became the 35th state in the United States of America. 2. The first black legislator was sworn in: In 1866, on March 1, John W. Davis became the first black legislator to be sworn into the...
5 Fun Facts About February 29 In West Virginia History
1. The first Leap Year Day celebrations in West Virginia took place in 1868, just two years after the state was admitted to the Union. The newly-formed state was eager to assert its unique identity among the other 36 states, and Leap Year Day was seen as an opportunity to...
5 Fun Facts About February 27 In West Virginia History
1. On February 27, 1860, the Wheeling Intelligencer newspaper published an article that would inspire the formation of the pro-Unionist state government of West Virginia. The article suggested that western Virginia should secede from the Confederacy and rejoin the Union. This idea ultimately led to the creation of West Virginia...
5 Fun Facts About February 26 In West Virginia History
1. Birth of Pearl Buck: On February 26, 1892, Pearl Buck, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Good Earth," was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Buck's work explored the complexities of Chinese culture and society and helped bridge understanding between East and West. 2. West Virginia joins the Union: On...
5 Fun Facts About February 25 In West Virginia History
1. In 1873, John Kenna was inaugurated as a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. Kenna, a lawyer and former Confederate soldier, served in the Senate until his death in 1893. 2. The historic Prickett's Fort was established on February 25, 1975 in Marion County, West Virginia. The fort, which was...
5 Fun Facts About February 24 In West Virginia History
1. On February 24, 1863, the Battle of Scary Creek took place in what is now Putnam County. It was one of the first major engagements of the Civil War in West Virginia and resulted in a Union victory. 2. John Shaffer, a Union soldier from Marion County, earned the...