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New York Central
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1888
The Kanawha & Ohio Railway completed a line from Charleston to Point Pleasant Other events that happened on or around 1888 Waitman Barbe wrote "The Song of the Centuries," his first important poem Arthur Boreman was elected to a circuit judgeship again Bramwell was incorporated as a town Sheltering Arms Hospital opened Kanawha Gazette began regular daily publication Danske Dandridge wrote Joy and Other Poems Henry Gassaway Davis supported Benjamin Harrison for president Fayette County became West Virginia leading coal producing county Salem College was founded Devil Anse Hatfield moved his family from Tug Valley to Main Island Creek Hamilton Hatter received a bachelor's degree from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine Frank Hereford served as presidential elector The town of Hurricane was incorporated John Jacob left circuit judge to return to practicing law Harriet Jones became assistant superintendent of the state hospital in Weston Kanawha County became the state's second largest coal producer The Logan Banner was founded by Henry Clay Ragland Roger Saad became the first Lebanese immigrant to settle in Wheeling The Martinsburg & Potomac railroad was extended to Frederick County, Virginia The Elkhorn Tunnel through Flat Top Mountain was completed Oakhurst Links was the home of the first regularly played golf tournament in the U.S. The Fetterman Mill was destroyed by a flood. Christopher Payne became first African American elected to represent West Virginia at the Republican national convention. Graham Hamrick preserved two female corpses as Phillipi mummies Livia Poffenbarger demanded the right to speak in support of a candidate at the state Democratic convention. Electricity generate from natural gas brought streetlights to Parkersburg Nathan Scott became a member of the Republican National Committee Senate president Robert Carr tried to assert the right to become governor after a disputed election Thomas J. Reynolds was born at Point Pleasant Callie Leach French became the first woman to obtain a pilot's license The Monongahela River flooded William Luke founded the Piedmont Pulp & Paper Company, later Westvaco H. C. Ogden came to Wheeling as a reporter for the Wheeling News H.C. Ogden came to Wheeling as a reporter for the News Albert White served as president of the National Editorial Association Mountain State Business College was established William H. Davis was nominated as an independent candidate for governor
1900
The Toledo & Ohio Central gained control of the Kanawha & Michigan and the Kanawha & West Virginia Railroad Other events that happened on or around 1900 West Virginia had 100,000 farms on 8.9 million acres Charles Ambler served as sheriff of Pleasants County for two years B&O added the Monongahela River Railroad (Fairmont to Clarksburg) There were 600 Baptist churches in West Virginia Raleigh County Republicans launched the Raleigh Herald Berkeley County population was 19,469 First women on the Bethany College board of trustees Jesse Bloch entered the family Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company Alonzo Brooks completed a business course at West Virginia Wesleyan College Capon Springs developer William H. Sale died Cass was founded by West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company West Virginia Pulp & Paper built paper mill at Covington, Virginia The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) completed its Greenbrier Division into Pocahontas County to harvest red spruce on Cheat and Back Allegheny mountains Moses Donnally sold the Charleston Gazette Davis Child Shelter, an orphanage, was established in Charleston First sewer lines were installed in Clarksburg Coal production had doubled Little evidence of the Coal River locks and dams remained West Virginia chapter of the Colonial Dames of America was organized Only remnant populations of deer and turkey were noted West Virginia's median age was below national average at 20.3 Doddridge County population was 13,689 William Edwards wrote a book on the authorship of Shakespeare's plays Fairmont Times was first published by Gen. C. L. Smith and O. S. McKinney Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Garnet High School was founded with a class of 12 black students Howard Gore graduated from WVU with a degree in agriculture Harrison County held a population of 27,690 Nancy Hart and husband Joshua Douglas settled in Webster County Morris Harvey founded the Fayette National Bank William "Coin" Harvey moved to Arkansas to begin building a retreat and vacation resort The population of Helvetia reached 500 people The first time the word "hillbilly" was used in print, in a New York newspaper Reported 1,062 native Hungarians in West Virginia Water power began being used for the production of electricity in West Virginia, at Kanawha Falls Census reported 2,458 Indians living in West Virginia There were 18 farms of the settlers on the Irish Tract Jackson County's population rose to 19,000 Don Redman was born in Piedmont The Kanawha Falls were augmented by a low dam Oil and natural gas in high quantities was found in Lewis County Cousin Abe Lilly received a law degree from the Southern Normal University, Tennessee Railroad replaces streams as the chief means of transporting logs to sawmills The Benwood Ironworks grew into a large steel mills James Miller ceased to be Summers County prosecuting attorney James Miller ran unsuccessfully for state auditor Steam and electric fans made larger mines possible The completion of the C&O Railway's Greenbrier Division to Marlinton put the Minnehaha Springs within reach of travelers Fairmont's first electric streetcar line built Morgantown population was at 1,895 The Morgantown Glass Works began production A developer began selling oceanfront lots for $25 in Myrtle Beach The anticlinal theory of oil and gas was applied along Sand Fork of the Little Kanawha The Pennsylvania Railroad began purchasing the N&W stock E.M. Carney purchased the Pence Springs property Kanawha County had the largest population with 54,696 residents. The largest city in the state was Wheeling with a population of 38,878. The Lilly family began ownership of the Ruffner Hotel St. Joseph's Hospital was founded by Patrick J. Donahue Samuel and Violet Bryant got their first jobs on showboats James H. Brown's obelisk was erected at Spring Hill Cemetery Interurban railway operations began in Huntington Tyler County's oil and gas boom peaked Wayne County population was at 23,619 Wings were added to Woodburn Hall at WVU Weston had municipal water plant, sanitary and storm sewer systems and brick paved streets West Virginia Pulp & Paper began constructing a sawmill in Cass A nursing school was founded at Wheeling Hospital The Collins Colliery company store burned Matthew Whittico moved to Keystone Buffalo, elk, gray wolf and passenger pigeon had all disappeared from West Virginia The second courthouse at Winfield was built Wirt County's population peaked at 10,284 Carter G. Woodson became principal of Douglass High School The first record of the ballad "The Wreck on the C&O" came out
1910
The New York Central gained control of the Toledo & Ohio Central Other events that happened on or around 1910 Appalachian Power Company began Daniel Willard became president of B&O Mannington, Fairmont, Clarksburg, and Grafton baseball teams formed the Class D West Virginia League Charleston entered professional baseball Beckley population rose to 2,161 Bluefield's population exceeded 10,000 U.S. Supreme Court established boundary between Preston County, West Virginia and Garrett County, Maryland Pearl Buck returned to the U.S. after living in China Pine Run School was built Annie G. Packette raised $50,000 to construct Charleston Opera House Charleston Mail sold to Samuel Dixon Men including John W. Davis published the Culpeper Exponent U.S. Bureau of Mines created after the Fairmont disaster of 1907 West Virginia coke production peaked at 4,217,381 tons Justus Collins opened Winding Gulf mine Danske Dandridge wrote Historic Shepherdstown Levi Dean began practicing architecture in Charleston The first deer hunting season was established West Virginia's approximate deer population was 1,000 Thurmond accounted for almost 20% of all revenue generated on C&O Railway Isaac Morris sold Easton Roller Mill to William Ley West Virginia schools had fallen behind national averages West Virginia had only 12 fully accredited high schools The Department of Education increased to five divisions Golden era of glass production ended Aretas Fleming pushed to establish the U.S. Bureau of Mines A. B. Brooks compiled a report on West Virginia forests Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Number of farms in West Virginia stood at 97,000 Glass factory employment totaled 7,500 workers The Meadow River Lumber Company was organized in Rainelle The C&O purchased the Greenbrier Resort and developed it into a major destination Rimfire Hamrick opened a jewelry, watch repair, and gunsmith shop in Webster Springs The High Gate mansion was built for James Edwin Watson Census reported 5,939 Hungarians in West Virginia Census showed 17 Irish families and 82 person occupying Irish Mountain Reported 17,000 Italian immigrants in West Virginia McDowell County reported the most Italian immigrants in West Virginia with 2,300 City of Ranson was established Reported most of the Kelly Axe Company's grinders were natives of Poland or Russia Harley Kilgore graduated from Mannington High School Sarah Ann Legg appealed her case for murder of Jay Legg and was acquitted of all charges Lincoln County had a population of 20,491 Signs bearing "Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco, Treat yourself to the Best" began appearing Akro Agate was founded in Ohio Marlinton had a tannery, two banks, two newspapers, 20 stores, a hospital, opera house, fire department, school, water system, & electric power Marlinton Opera House was built by J. C. Tilton John Matheus graduated from Western Reserve University (Case Western Reserve) in Cleveland, Ohio The original sawmill of the Meadow River Lumber Company was built The McKendree and Welch hospitals opened affiliated nursing schools Morgantown population rose to 9,150 Howard Sloan organized the first enduring work of the Church of the Nazarene in West Virginia Niagara Movement failed to meet The O. Ames company arrived in Parkersburg 37 of the state's 55 counties were completely dry or allowed the prohibition of the sale of liquor under local option laws. The C&O and Virginian railroads had penetrated every section of Raleigh County A factory making buttons from river mussel shell opened in St. Marys Nathan Scott lost the Republican nomination The Raine brothers established the Meadow River Lumber Company Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes ruled that the Swan lands had been forfeited to the state because taxes had not been paid Thurmond had a population of 315 The B&O railroad penetrated the Trough Tucker County population peaked at 18,675 U.S. Coal & Coke built 12 individual company towns at Gary The steamboat Virginia went aground on a falling Ohio River and ended up in a cornfield at Ravenswood The Meyercord-Carter Company reorganized as the Vitrolite Company The Greenbrier, Cheat & Elk Railroad was incorporated T. Edward Hill joined the McDowell Times Ohio Valley Glass became Paul Wissmach Glass Company
1916
Six passenger trains a day operated from Charleston to Blakeley on Kellys Creek Other events that happened on or around 1916 Kanawha Park was built in Charleston for baseball Kanawha Park was built for baseball Beckley street paving began Newton Diehl Baker was appointed Secretary of War by President Wilson John T. Harris produced the first volume of the West Virginia Blue Book Izetta Brown took over management of Preston County farm and established modern dairy operation after husband's death Elk River Coal & Lumber Company built a sawmill at Swandale Col. E. G. Via bought the Camden Park George Carter moved to Coalwood The first fire towers were erected Fairmont High School class wrote Marion County in the Making Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company located one of its main plants in Clarksburg Letter from former Governor MacCorkle to state archivist Henry S. Green confuses John Hardy with John Henry The West Virginia Asylum name changed to Huntington State Hospital The company town of Itmann was built Fanny Johnson published her only novel, The Beloved Son Libbey-Owens-Ford built its large plate glass plant in Kanawha City Herman Kump was defeated for prosecuting attorney Blanche Lazzell began working in the method of single block color print Howard B. Lee began serving as Mercer County prosecuting attorney William Alexander MacCorkle wrote The White Sulphur Springs Joseph Long became the postmaster of Huntington Sam Mallison became city editor of the Clarksburg Telegram Publication of the Market Bulletin began when James H. Stewart was agriculture commissioner The Tilton family regained ownership of the Marlinton Opera House John McGraw was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention 12 passenger trains a day were scheduled into Charleston The Point Pleasant Register became a daily Michael Owens launched a Charleston glass factory Paden City was incorporated Pendleton Land Company took over Paden City Pottery The Wyoming County courthouse was built Rat Rodgers was named to the All-American teams Socialists controlled both District 29 and District 17 of the UMWA The Charleston Interurban Railroad was built to Cabin Creek The earliest recorded instance of surface mining in West Virginia occurred The Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia was incorporated The USS Huntington was on the West Coast The National Guard was activated after a call for troops to pursue Pancho Villa on the Mexican border The National Guard was activated in call for troops to pursue Pancho Villa on the Mexican border Statewide constitutional referendum for women's suffrage passed Carter G. Woodson began publication of the Journal of Negro History A courthouse at Pineville was built Frank Reeves received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
1938
The New York Central merged with the K&M, K&WV and other railroads 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 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 An area for an arboretum was set aside in Watoga State Park 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
1952
The Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad was merged into the New York Central System Other events that happened on or around 1952 Raleigh County Memorial Airport built Charleston baseball joined the American Association, class AAA Henry Lake Dickason retired as president of Bluefield State Teachers College (now University) The Lilly Brothers of Raleigh County relocated to Boston Widen was scene of fatal labor confrontation Consolidated Bus Lines traveled 5,873,468 miles Virginia Ruth "Dagmar" Egnor began own variety show, Dagmar's Canteen John W. Davis argued for the continuation of racial segregation in South Carolina before the U.S. Supreme Court Briggs v. Elliot, later Brown v. Board of Education John Warren Davis accepted a U.S. government appointment in Liberia A wing to the Denmar Hospital building was completed Fairmont State College president George W. Hand lost his position by refusing to fire Luella Raab Mundell Ann Kathryn Flagg resigned her teaching position at Dunbar High School in Fairmont and became director of Children's Theater in Cleveland U.S. Forest Service published reports on West Virginia Forests Report stated that 64% of the state was forested Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football The Health and Physical Education Building at Glenville State College was dedicated Original Mound Museum opened at Grave Creek Mound K. K. Hall became circuit judge of West Virginia's 25th Judicial Circuit Joseph Hodges was made an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Richmond Johnnie Johnson moved to St. Louis and hired Chuck Berry to be in the Johnnie Johnson Trio The 167th Fighter Squadron returned to West Virginia The current number of members was established for the House of Delegates The Wheeling Downs racetrack and other assets of Big Bill Lias were seized by the federal government Library service was improved with creation of regional library systems Hobert Skidmore wrote The Years Are Even Lock No. 1 on the Big Sandy was closed Walter Martens became a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a distinctive honor Walter Reuther was elected president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations Jack Rollins wrote "Smokey the Bear" WVU's Mark Workman became All-American in basketball Jim Sprouse began serving with the Central Intelligence Agency Spruce Knob Lake was constructed as a fishing lake P. D. Strausbaugh published Part One of Flora of West Virginia Planning for Sutton Dam was suspended because of Korean War WSAZ-TV in Huntington became channel 3 S. A. Abram began redevelopment of the old seminary grounds at Hilltop, near Oak Hill in Fayette County The Bluestone Dam and Lake was completed A strike at Widen occurred Virginia Mae Brown was named West Virginia’s first woman assistant attorney general
1968
The New York Central System merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad to create the ill-fated Penn Central Other events that happened on or around 1968 Frederick M. Staunton, publisher of the Charleston Daily Mail, retired Chief Logan State Park gained state park status Denomination adopted the name Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Orval Brown was released from the state mental hospital at Weston Stephen Coonts earned a B.A. at WVU George Crumb was award the Pulitzer Prize for Echoes of Time and the River: Four Processionals for Orchestra Phyllis Curtin sang with the Charleston Symphony Opera Phyllis Curtin was named West Virginian of the year with George Crumb by the Charleston Sunday Gazette Mail Home Demonstration clubs changed name to Extension Homemaker Clubs National attention was brought to the issue of mine safety Fesenmeier sold its brewery to Little Switzerland Brewing Company Two-year associate degree in forestry was developed at Glenville State College Five high schools were consolidated into Gilmer County High School The last Gravely tractor rolled off the Dunbar assembly line Charles Haden served on the Monongalia County Board of Education Roy Lee Harmon wrote Rhymes of a Mountaineer The Modern Budget Amendment made the governor responsible for preparation of the state budget West Virginia's first spring gobbler season began Sonny Hyde transferred to the state Department of Natural Resources to work on Outdoor West Virginia (now Wild Wonderful West Virginia) The Jones Diamond left the Smithsonian to be on exhibition at the State Fair Linsly School relocated to Banes Hall in Wheeling The present entrance to the Lost World Cavers was dug through a hill Joe Manchin's family shoe store burned A new academic building was constructed at Marshall University Enrollment at Marshall University reached 8,177 Irene McKinney received her bachelor's from West Virginia Wesleyan College M. Blane Michael graduated from New York University M. Blane Michael began working at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York R. E. Fisher died leaving the Moorefield paper to Pheobe Fisher Heishman and husband David Mountain Artisans was founded John W. Saunders became president of Beckley College (now Mountain State University) replacing D. K. Shroyer The National Bank of Commerce built a new building known as Commerce Square in Charleston New Vrindaban began as a project of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness The annual Nature Wonder Weekend was first held in North Bend State Park Nylon precursor chemical stopped being produced at Belle Works Logging on Otter Creek began again Pilgrim Glass Corporation plant manager Karel Konrad introduced cranberry glass Radio station WVWC, licensed to West Virginia Wesleyan College, went on air The last case of polio in West Virginia was reported James Rexrode's works were displayed at the Shenandoah Valley Folklore Society at the Harrisonburg Arts and Crafts Festival Spanky Roberts retired from McClellan Air Force Base The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey conducted another extensive excavation on the St. Albans archeological site David Selby appeared in Dark Shadows James A Butcher became president of Shepherd College (now University) Governor Hulett Smith proposed $150 million bond issue for school construction and state facilities improvement. Grace Martin Taylor retired from Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) Norman L. Fagan suggested a Theater West Virginia show based on the Hatfield-McCoy Feud The Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with the Methodists forming the United Methodists, becoming West Virginia's biggest denomination There were 240 Evangelical United Brethren Churches in West Virginia, at the time of their merger with the Methodists Kendall Vintroux retired from the Charleston Gazette VISTA volunteers had streamed into rural and hard-pressed areas of West Virginia The WAJR facilities moved to the Greer Building West Virginia counties reasserted their control over economic opportunity commissions and community action programs, as local officials react to War on Poverty WesBanco was incorporated Wheeling Downs reopened Jon Dragan founded Wildwater Expedition Unlimited at Thurmond Bill Withers was discharged from the U.S. Navy in San Jose Runway expansion for jet airliners began at Kanawha Airport Chuck Yeager became a brigadier general Keith Ham leased 130 acres in Marshall County for the establishment of a rural retreat Nick Saban led the Monongah High School football team to a state championship victory over Paden City High Helen Chilton graduated from Denison University Charleston Section of the National Council of Jewish Women undertook “Appalachian Corridors,” the first exhibition to expressly curate the work of Appalachian artists
1976
The Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) was created Other events that happened on or around 1976 Glade Creek gristmill completed The spring pavilion was renovated at Barger Springs Girls' state high school basketball tournament revived after dying off in the 1920s Beckley Newspapers Corporation was sold to Clay Communications J. Wade Gilley became president of Bluefield State College (now University) Jennings Boyd named West Virginia Coach of the Year Cabell Huntington Hospital expanded for the second time Gaston Caperton was elected president of the McDonough-Caperton-Shepherd insurance company Shelley Moore Capito earned M.A. from University of Virginia Lou Austin died French Carpenter record Elzic's Farewell is released Shenandoah Downs closed Buildings of McMillan Hospital were demolished in Charleston Picnic shelters, restrooms, restaurant and amphitheater were added at Chief Logan State Park Bernard Coffindaffer married June Woodrum Cogar Arden set the world record for standing chopping a 10-inch yellow poplar in 16.2 seconds Merger of Bluefield State College and Concord College ended Phyllis Curtin was invited to White House to sing for West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Julius DeGruyter wrote a second volume of the Kanawha Spectator George Snyder received a MFA from University of North Carolina
1999
CSX and Norfolk Southern absorbed Conrail Other events that happened on or around 1999 The film Four Days premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival The Bluestone Dam celebrated its 50th anniversary Lodge at Cacapon State Park was expanded Camden-Clark Hospital in Parkersburg opened an Outpatient Physical Therapy Building Gaston Caperton was chosen for president of the College Board Wilson Douglas died Rhone-Poulenc plant at Institute was sold to Aventis Construction began on Clay Center Contemporary American Theater Festival received Governor's Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization Stephen Coonts wrote Cuba State acquired rights to use "Country Roads" to promote tourism West Virginia rated 4th lowest crime rate Jacob Beard's conviction for the Rainbow Family murders was overturned
1999
Conrail was split between the Norfolk Southern and the CSX Other events that happened on or around 1999 Mountain Stage began airing world-wide on Voice of America Sandy and Will Morrison bought the Mystery Hole and reopened it The National Commerce Bancorp of Memphis entered West Virginia The Division of Natural Resources was administered under the Bureau of Commerce Brad Paisley recorded his debut album Who Needs Pictures Henry Payne joined the Detroit News The Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse won design awards for architecture and art from the General Services Administration The Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse won the government-public construction award from Buildings magazine St. Mary's Hospital opened a radiation oncology center The entrance to Schoolhouse Cave was gated to conserve colonies of Virginia big-eared bats David Selby received the Shakespeare Theatre's Millennium Recognition Award The West Virginia Northern Railroad ceased as a tourist line Parkersburg post office was named Simmons Station in honor of Robert Simmons Construction of a hydropower project began at Summersville Dam. The Navy christened a ship the USNS Charlton in honor of Cornelius Charlton View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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