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West Virginia Water Festival
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1952
The Bluestone Dam and Lake was completed 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 The Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad was merged into the New York Central System 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 A strike at Widen occurred Virginia Mae Brown was named West Virginia’s first woman assistant attorney general
1958
A water ski show moved from Tennessee to Hinton Other events that happened on or around 1958 Reorganization changed name from AG&E back to Appalachian Power Leroy Allen became president of Bluefield State College (now University) Ruby Bradley became a colonel Elk River Coal & Lumber Company was sold to Clinchfield Coal Company Clarksburg Park Board developed Buffalo Lake into a public recreation area Dale Brooks released "The Ambridge Boogie" on Cozy Records Phyllis Curtin sang Susannah at the Brussels World's Fair Phyllis Curtin sang with the Charleston Symphony Opera Ellis Dungan returned to the Ohio Valley, settling in Wheeling State superintendent of schools became a Board of Education appointee National Radio Quiet Zone surrounding Green Bank observatory was established by the Federal Communications Commission Jack Fleming became announcer for the Pittsburgh Steelers Follansbee rolling and annealing facilities were sold to Wheeling Steel "Biggie" Goldberg was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame and the West Virginia Sports Writers Hall of Fame Davis Grubb wrote The Watchman Alberta Pierson Hannum wrote Paint the Wind Chuck Howley was drafted by the Chicago Bears The school year was interrupted by an anti-integration school bombing at Osage near Morgantown A new dormitory was constructed at Marshall College (now University) The need for local graduate education was articulated by officials at Union Carbide Corporation and other Kanawha Valley chemical concerns, and Kanawha Valley Graduate Center was founded John Matheus retired from West Virginia State College (now University) Jack Maurice won the Sigma Delta Chi award for editorial writing The McClain Printing Company was incorporated McClain Printing Company published its first book, Chronicles of Border Warfare by Alexander Scott Withers Mildred Mitchell-Bateman became superintendent of the Lakin State Hospital Moncove Public Hunting and Fishing area was purchased by the West Virginia Conservation Commission Ohio Valley Speedway was built Construction on the National Radio Astronomy Observatory began at Green Bank Marble King Factory moved to Paden City Jennings Randolph flew from Morgantown to Washington on a plane fueled with gasoline made from West Virginia coal William Revercomb left U.S. Senate, defeated by Robert C. Byrd Leonard Riggleman led Morris Harvey to accreditation Fred Schaus guided WVU's basketball team to a No. 1 national ranking at the end of the regular season Festus Summers co-authored with Charles Ambler the second edition of West Virginia: The Mountain State Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) was accredited by the North Central Accreditation Agency Jerry West played on the WVU team that finished No.1 in the nation Jerry West was a second-team All-American in basketball West Virginia Yesterday and Today was adopted as a state textbook The West Virginia turnpike was included in the Interstate highway system Aunt Jennie Wilson was discovered by Patrick Gainer Elizabeth Gilmore helped organize the Charleston chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
1959
Water ski shows failed to draw a crowd Other events that happened on or around 1959 Alderson-Broaddus College (now University) achieved accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Three-class format based on school size, each class having eight teams was created for the state high school basketball tournament Berwind Lake Wildlife Management Area began J. G. Bradley sold the Widen Mine to Clinchfield Coal Company Owners of Maryland's Pimlico Race Course bought Charles Town Race Track Name changed from Barber Sanatorium to Kanawha Valley Memorial Hospital Goodyear plant built near Apple Grove There were 47 covered bridges still in existence in West Virginia Donald Duncan sold the Duncan Parking Meter Corporation Ellis Dungan Productions produced Wheels to Progress Medium green was introduced for fiestaware Hal Greer advanced to the National Basketball Association after graduation from Marshall Perry Gresham wrote Sage of Bethany Four Boone County businessmen opened the first Heck's department store in Charleston Dixie Kilham bought the Hilltop House William Hoffman wrote Days in the Yellow Leaf Homer Laughlin China Company began producing restaurant china John Knowles wrote his first novel, A Separate Peace John Knowles wrote his first novel, A Separate Peace Catherine Marshall married Leonard E. LeSourd Kyle McCormick wrote The New-Kanawha River and the Mine War of West Virginia Charlie McCoy moved to Nashville New Mennonite congregation started in Pocahontas County The Mill Point Prison Camp closed Moncove Lake was created by the damming of Devil Creek Size of the Moundsville prison doubled John Forbes Nash was hospitalized for schizophrenia The first radio telescopes were in operation at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank The historic Reber Radio Telescope moved to Green Bank Warden M. Lane outline a proposal for reorganization of the Conservation Commission to correct an overlapping of duties Lewis Keller, Sr. purchased the Oakhurst Links property from Cary Montague Don Gardner became the first president of Ohio Valley College (now University) Rex and Eleanor Parker had a conversion experience and thereafter performed only sacred music Rebel Records was founded in Maryland Nat Reese returned to West Virginia to work for the State Road Commission ABC-TV first aired Lunch with Soupy Sales WVU basketball team lost 71-70 to California in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament final Reported 2,843 schools in West Virginia Shenandoah Downs opened in Charles Town Agnes Smith published An Edge of the Forest Hulett Smith left the state Aeronautics Commission Blaze Starr met Louisiana Gov. Earl Long while performing in New Orleans Jerry West was named most valuable player of the NCAA tournament Jerry West was unanimous All American first-team choice Patrick Gainer became president of the West Virginia Folklore Society The Mountaineers went to the national basketball championships William F. Troy, S.J. became president of Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) Katherine Johnson married Lt. Colonel James A. Johnson Tunney Hunsaker fought Ernie Terrell The Special Forces (Green Berets) were created in the Army National Guard
1961
The Hinton Jaycees turned the water ski show into a full festival Other events that happened on or around 1961 Discrimination against blacks in state's public places continued, according to West Virginia Human Rights Commission, including in the coal mines. West Virginia purchased an additional 44 acres A flood claimed 22 lives in West Virginia A 65-site campground opened at Blackwater Falls State Park The Army Corps of Engineers completed a dam on Elk River at Sutton Marshall College became a university Charleston's Davis Child Shelter orphanage closed W. E. "Ned" Chilton III became publisher of the Charleston Gazette Accident classified as a "disaster" changed from when 5 died to 3 or more Bruce Crawford retired from the West Virginia Advertising Company Reported 90% of West Virginia crimes were nonviolent Phyllis Curtin made her Metropolitan Opera debut Julia Davis wrote Legacy of Love Douglass High School closed in Huntington Joanne Dru was featured on Guestward Ho! Ann Flagg moved to Chicago Grafton National Cemetery reached its capacity of 2,119 graves Charles Haden began practicing law with his father in a firm, Haden & Haden Elizabeth Hallanan became a member and chairman of the Public Service Commission Charles Hodel was named the Charleston Gazette's "man of the year" Joseph Hodges was appointed coadjutor bishop with the right of succession to Archbishop John Swint of the Diocese of Wheeling The gate house at the Huntington State Hospital entrance was removed The coal seam at Kaymoor was worked out Sam Mallison published Let's Set a Spell Kyle McCormick left the position of state historian Howard Gray passed presidency of the Meadow River Lumber Company to his son Morgantown Glassware Guild made a line of elegant stemware for the White House for the Kennedy administration Milan Puskar started Mylan Pharmaceuticals Okey Patteson married Dorothy R. "Bebe" (Reuter) Warden. The Omar riverboat was given to West Virginia Eleanor Roosevelt began serving as U.S. representative to the United Nations St. Francis Nursing School in Charleston closed David Selby appeared in Honey in the Rock The Salvation Army sold the Sunrise mansions and grounds to the Sunrise Foundation The New River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was established Cyrus Vance was named general counsel for the Department of Defense Charleston baseball joined the AAA International League WSAZ was sold out-of-state Leonard C. Nelson became president of West Virginia Institute of Technology Matthew Reese joined the Democratic National Committee as deputy chairman Billy Cox met James "Jimi" Hendrix at the service club in Fort Campbell
1963
The first Water Festival was held at Hinton Other events that happened on or around 1963 The Centennial year closed and virtually all elements of the program had been successfully completed Patch Adams spent two weeks in a psychiatric facility for depression President's Appalachian Regional Commission (PARC) recommendations sent to President Johnson Appalachian Hospital network saved by the Board of National Missions of the United Presbyterian Church Appalachian Volunteers organized Only 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles could be found in the U.S. W. E. Blackhurst published Sawdust in Your Eyes W. E. Blackhurst was the first commentator for the Cass Scenic Railroad Florence Blanchfield received the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal A new student union building was built at Bluefield State College (now University) Tony Boyle was elected president of the UMWA Ruby Bradley retired from the army Elk River Coal & Lumber Company sold its sawmill at Swandale to Georgia-Pacific Expansion of Cabell Huntington Hospital increased the size to 280 beds and 48 bassinets Centennial Golden Trout received first widespread stocking Mower Lumber Company purchased Cheat Mountain Club Jim Comstock ran for unsuccessfully for Congress Phyllis Curtin sang at the meeting of the Music Educators National Conference in Charleston Julius DeGruyter wrote A Brief History of Kanawha County and the Kanawha Region Dolores Dowling became secretary and administrative assistant of the Veterans Administration regional office in Huntington Thomson Newspapers of Canada purchased all three Fairmont papers Ann Flagg returned to teaching at Evanston Consolidated School District and Southern Illinois University The department led the effort to organize a crafts fair at Cedar Lakes The book, Mountain Heritage was published Patrick Gainer published The West Virginia Centennial Song Book of 100 Songs Patrick Gainer recorded Folk Songs of the Allegheny Mountains for Folk Heritage Recordings Earl Andrews became president of the Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation at Berkeley Springs Legislature authorized counties to cooperate with local governments and the federal government Land on Maryland Heights was added to the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park The widows of Edward and Walker Long and William D. Brike took charge of Huntington Newspaper Publishing Charles Hodel was named to the West Virginia Press Association's Hall of Fame The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals who ruled in State ex rel. Slatton v. Boles that the state policy is to "protect and reclaim juveniles" and will be treated as delinquents rather than criminals Kanawha Records began to record authentic indigenous mountain music as performed by contemporary West Virginia musicians Reynolds Memorial Hospital opened a new facility in Glen Dale The National Youth Science Camp was founded in Pocahontas County The West Virginia Chapter of Nature Conservancy was founded by volunteers The Greenbrier Historical society re-formed after disbanding during the Civil War New buildings of the Ohio Valley College (now University) were occupied on a permanent campus The Libbey-Owens-Ford glass bottle plant closed in Charleston Jim Comstock found a preserved baby and the two female mummies in a barn in Philippi. The West Virginia Centennial showboat, Rhododendron, plied the Kanawha, Ohio and Monongahela Rivers Spanky Roberts was assigned to Griffis Air Force base The St. Albans Archeological Site was first identified by Samuel D. Kessel Salem College received full accreditation by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges Devid Selby married Claudeis "Chip" Newman WVU Rod Thorn became All-American in basketball Boyd Stutler published West Virginia in the Civil War Legislation to protect the environment from surface mining was enacted Rod Thorn became the second pick in the first round of the NBA draft and went to Baltimore Bullets The Unitarian Universalist church in Morgantown was built The VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) began Geoffrey Hobday left the Charleston Symphony Orchestra The Charleston Symphony Orchestra was led by a season of guest conductors Billy Edd Wheeler recorded "Coal Tattoo" Wheeling Hospital set up the first intensive care unit in West Virginia The Shott brothers revived their WHAJ-FM The Widen mine and railroad ceased operation WVU at Parkersburg became the first of WVU's Appalachian Centers A naval radio station was established at Sugar Grove Ellie Schaul helped decorate the Centennial Showboat Rhododendron View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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