When did West Virginia become a state?
West Virginia was admitted to the Union on the 20th of June 1863, during the American Civil War. It was one of only two states admitted during the war, the other being Nevada.
Questions about West Virginia
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did West Virginia separate from Virginia?
West Virginia separated from Virginia because its residents were underrepresented in the Virginia legislature, which apportioned power in favor of the eastern planter elite. When Virginia voted to secede from the Union in April 1861, the northwestern counties refused to follow, organized a rival government under Francis H. Pierpont, and petitioned for statehood.
What is the highest point in West Virginia?
The highest point in West Virginia is Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet. It lies within the Monongahela National Forest and is covered in boreal spruce forest above 4,000 feet.
What role did coal play in West Virginia's history?
Bituminous coal was West Virginia's defining industry after Reconstruction. The completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway to Huntington in 1872 opened the first major coalfields, and the Norfolk and Western Railroad followed to the Pocahontas seam. The Virginian Railway, completed in 1909 at a cost of $40 million financed by Henry Huttleston Rogers, added a third coal shipping route to Hampton Roads.
What is the capital of West Virginia?
Charleston is the capital and most populous city of West Virginia, with a population of 49,055. The capital was originally in Wheeling from 1863 to 1870, moved to Charleston, returned to Wheeling in 1875, and came back to Charleston permanently in 1885 after the capitol building burned down.
Who were the first Europeans recorded in West Virginia?
Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam were the first Europeans recorded as reaching what is now West Virginia. They were sent in 1671 by General Abraham Wood, acting on orders from Royal Governor William Berkeley of Virginia, and reached Kanawha Falls.