By registering for your own account, you'll get instant access to member benefits:
|
|
Widen
Go back to Widen
1904
J. G. Bradley came to Clay County Other events that happened on or around 1904 Charles Ambler received an A.B. in social sciences J. G. Bradley came to West Virginia Sturdevant and Johnson constructed new buildings Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad was built Name changed from Thomas Hospital to Charleston General Hospital Barber Sanatorium constructed by Dr. Timothy L. Barber Sr. Railroad from Greenbrier Valley to Bartow completed Roy Bird Cook graduated from high school John Cornwell was Democratic nominee for governor Davis & Elkins College founded by Southern Presbyterians Rebecca Davis wrote autobiography Bits of Gossip William M. O. Dawson ceased to be chairman of West Virginia Republicans John Dickinson became the first director of the Kanawha Coal Operators Association Chestnut blight introduced to America Fairmont West Virginian became daily Millard Giesey and Frederic Faris designed the West Virginia Building at the St. Louis World's Fair Pennsylvania investors opened a second glass sand plant on the east side of Warm Springs Ridge The Glenville Democrat was first published Capt. Greene acquired the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Big Sandy & Pomeroy Packet Co. Railroads reached the Guyandotte River area The National Carbon Company began operating a graphite plant in Anmore The Huntington Dispatch began Frankie Masters was born in Pleasants County Cousin Abe Lilly was elected prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County The C&O Railroad was constructed from Huntington to city of Logan The Logan County coal industry began its boom Gannett's gazetteer was the first to be devoted exclusively to West Virginia place names and locations Wheeling Metal and Manufacturing Company opened in Glen Dale Sandy Mason moved back to Charleston to start the Mason School of Music and Fine Arts John McGraw became chairman of state Democratic party Thomas Gaylord McKell died John McWhorter became a judge of West Virginia's 12th judicial circuit James Miller was elected as a judge of the Circuit Court of the Ninth West Virginia Circuit A fifteenth dam was built on the Monongahela The daily edition Morgantown Evening Post stopped publication The Morgantown Chronicle was founded by Hu Maxwell The Mount St. George mansion was completed John Nugent was elected president of UMWA District 17 Herschel Ogden purchased the Wheeling Intelligencer Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly spearheaded a drive that defeated a proposal to built a Carnegie Library in Wheeling Pence Springs water was presented the highest award in its class. Benjamin Rosenbloom was admitted to the West Virginia bar Henry Schmulbach built the Schmulbach Building in Wheeling Official addressed the question of a flag for the West Virginia building at the St. Louis World's Fair John Swint was ordained to the priesthood William P. Tams went to work for Samuel Dixon in the New River coalfield Henry Gassaway Davis built the Coal & Coke Railway Sam Vinson died John T. McGraw expanded the Webster Springs Hotel A president who was not the state superintendent of school was elected to head of the West Virginia Education Association Charles Frederick Tucker Brooke was elected to be in the first group of Rhodes Scholars Matthew Whittico renamed his paper the McDowell Times Hurry-up Yost's University of Michigan team defeated WVU 130-0 Romeo Freer returned to Ritchie County and was appointed Harrisville postmaster Paul Wissmach reorganized his company as Ohio Valley Glass Company
1905
The Elk River Coal & Lumber Company organized Other events that happened on or around 1905 Charles Ambler received an M.A. in social sciences Waitman Barbe wrote The Study of Poetry Company constructed a three-story wooden hotel near the spring at Barger Springs Walter Barnes graduated from WVU Jesse Bloch married Jessie Thornton Moffat C&O absorbed the Hocking Valley Railroad William Edwin Chilton and others bought Charleston's electric streetcar system Oliver Chitwood received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins Coal & Coke Railway reached Clay Alston Dayton was appointed judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia Legislature created a four-member Board of Examiners to issue teaching certificates Charles Town Academy ceased Fenton Art Glass Company opened in Martins Ferry, Ohio Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia The Frederick Hotel was built in downtown Huntington William Glasscock was appointed internal revenue collector for the District of West Virginia by President Theodore Roosevelt The C&O Greenbrier Division extension to Winterburn was completed The original Grimes Golden apple tree blew down Ella Holroyd entered the Cincinnati Conservatory Earnest T. Weir purchased the Jackson Iron & Tin Company tin mill at Clarksburg John Jay Jackson Jr. retired as judge Tommy Benford was born in Charleston Blanche Lazzell received an art degree from WVU St. George Orthodox Church of Charleston was established Howard B. Lee graduated from Marshall College (now University) Sarah Ann Legg went on trial for murder of Jay Legg Carnegie library was established in Parkersburg Oil and gas business began in Griffithsville The entire Little Kanawha River system was acquired by the federal government The electric streetcar service arrived in Mannington Martin Christensen invented the marble-making machine Frank McEnteer graduated from Harvard Engineering School Jim Sellers and J.W Grimm bought a brick-making machine The West Virginia Department of Mines was created Matewan opened its first hospital Margaret Montague published The Poet, Miss Kate, and I The West Virginia State Museum was founded The B&O Beaux Arts-style station in Wheeling was built John Nugent was elected president of the state Federation of Labor Pardee & Curtin Lumber Company expanded operations by buying a sawmill on Cherry River at Coal Siding. The Western Maryland Railroad arrived in Paw Paw A commercial department was added to Potomac State College The Virginian Railroad developed a shop and yards in Princeton. Teddy Roosevelt walked Eleanor Roosevelt down the aisle to marry FDR St. Joseph's Hospital opened a nursing school The Pope Dock Company built Sunny South The Morgan Museum began in Putnam County by Sidney Morgan The Sunrise mansion was built by William MacCorkle Ernest T. Weir founded Phillips Sheet & Tin Plate in Clarksburg The West Virginia Archives and History was created by legislature The West Virginia Central & Pittsburg(h) became part of the Western Maryland Railway Company The Historical Society ceased publication of The West Virginia Historical Magazine Quarterly The Historical Society collections were moved to the Capitol Annex West Virginia Wesleyan College awarded its first five degrees Albert White left office as governor Timber in the Williams River watershed began being taken out by log train Williamson was incorporated A bridge at Williamstown was built Laura Jackson Arnold was named "Mother of the Regiment" by the 5th West Virginia Cavalry
1911
Widen was built as a coal company town Other events that happened on or around 1911 Bill to create the Department of Agriculture and Commissioner of Agriculture was passed Alderson Academy's name was changed to Alderson Baptist Academy (now part of Alderson Broaddus University) Walter Barnes received an M.A. from Harvard Van Bittner joined the UMWA The Board of Control was given responsibility to manage the state tuberculosis sanitarium at Terra Alta and the West Virginia Colored Orphans Home in Huntington A. B. Brooks wrote Forestry and Wood Industries Fire destroyed the Mountain House 155,092 pounds of chestnuts shipped from one railroad station in West Virginia William Edwin Chilton was elected U.S. senator by state legislature Goff Building was finished in Clarksburg Danske Dandridge wrote American Prisoners of the Revolution The elective Office of Agriculture Commissioner was created Population of postal communities on Flat Top Mountain was 300 Reported 83 band mills and 900 circular mills in operation Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Berkeley Glass Sand Company was incorporated Benjamin Franklin Gravely began designing a power-driven plow After changing to Lewisburg Female Institute the name changed to Lewisburg Seminary (later Greenbrier College for Women) The citizens of Guyandotte voted to become part of Huntington A new courthouse in Hamlin was constructed The Anti-Tuberculosis League of West Virginia lobbied a bill through legislature to build a sanitarium Charles Laws graduated from Leonard Medical College in North Carolina Governor Glasscock gave Joseph Long the title colonel Minnie Lowther published The History of Ritchie County The earliest known road map of West Virginia was produced by a state agency The Marlinton Opera House began use Frank McEnteer moved to Clarksburg Rufus G. Meador constructed a hotel at Mercer Healing Springs Explosion at No. 20 Mine in Elk Garden killed 23 miners Congress enacted the Weeks law which authorized the federal government to cooperate with the various states to purchase land for the protection of the watersheds of navigable streams The name of the Morgantown newspaper was changed to Weekly New Dominion The Blue Creek oil field was discovered along the Elk River Matthew M. Neely was elected clerk of the House of Delegates Paden City Pottery was established Pre-engineering and agriculture programs were added at West Virginia Preparatory School (now Potomac State) The legislature approved the submission of another prohibition amendment to the people The Story of a Song: What It Means to Belong to the King was published. Rat Rodgers started at Bethany College A streetcar line extension from Charleston to St. Albans was established A deadlock occurred in the senate when members had to chose the U.S. Senators The Seneca Glass Company opened a second factory in Star City The Pythians erected an obelisk at Samuel W. Starks's grave in Spring Hill Cemetery Clarence W. Watson began serving in the U.S. Senate Fairview changed its name to Wayne The West Virginia Press Association became inactive Wings were added to Woodburn Hall at WVU Westover was incorporated Willard Hotel was built in Grafton Vernon Johnson began serving in the House of Delegates
1933
A strike at Widen occurred Other events that happened on or around 1933 County unit plan for school systems was adopted West Virginia counties had to reduce term length Doddridge County High School was created The flat-spired three-toothed land snail was discovered Legislature established the Conservation Commission The Greenbrier College for Women was chartered as Greenbrier College Perry Gresham received a bachelor of divinity degree from Texas Christian University West Virginia erected a replica cabin and stone memorial at the birthplace of Nancy Hanks A great trial was held against the contractor of the Hawks Nest Tunnel by those who contracted silicosis Legislative act put every public road in West Virginia under direct state control The Democrats regained control of the governorship Charles Hodel was instrumental in developing the Beckley-Mount Hope Airport The radical West Virginia Mine Workers Union and the West Virginia Labor Party both collapsed Act replaced game protectors with conservation officers The West Virginia World's Fair exhibit was housed at Jackson's Mill The Charles Town Racetrack opened in Jefferson County Frances Benjamin Johnston began photographing early architecture of the American South William C. Kelly died Kumbrabow State Forest was created in response to the Civilian Conservation Corps Act The National Industrial Recovery Act guaranteed workers the right to collective bargaining and outlawed yellow-dog contracts Democrats took control of the West Virginia Senate The progressive Roosevelt administration secured passage of the National Industrial Recovery Act Melvin Goins was born Pare Lorentz conceived, edited and published The Roosevelt Year, 1933 West Virginia acquired the land for Lost River State Park Master Marble and Bridgeport Marble exhibited millions of marbles at the World's Fair in Chicago The Gallipolis Locks and Dam began construction The Civilian Conservation Corps first became active in Monongahela National Forest Prohibition ends Cacapon State Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps The National Recovery Administration was created with the passing of the National Industrial Recovery Ac Legislation passed establishing the Conservation Commission of West Virginia Camp Woodbine and Camp Cranberry were established by Civilian Conservation Corps in Richwood Ruth Rohde served as U.S. Minister to Denmark Eleanor Roosevelt convinced FDR to use congressionally approved federal funds to establish the first national subsistence homestead in Arthurdale Lynnside Manor, Monroe County, the traditional home of the Lewis family, burned down William Smith O'Brien became West Virginia secretary of state H. M. Calhoun died Buddy Starcher became popular performer at WCHS Charleston State Police field structure shrank to two companies State Police Criminal Investigation Bureau was organized Mel Moore and Billy Long led a strike at Weirton Steel Employees bought the Wheeling Traction Company and re-named it Cooperative Transit Company Festus Summers finished his doctorate at WVU The Braxton Democrat newspaper in Sutton compiled and reprinted the Wm. Byrne tales of Elk River West Virginia property tax revenue was at $27 million Fred Torrey created the "Lincoln Walks at Midnight" sculpture W. W. Trent became superintendent of Schools UMWA unionized the West Virginia coalfields Camp Watoga was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps Fred E. Brooks died WOBU changed to WCHS WCHS stopped sharing time with WSAZ in Huntington Wheeling Bank & Trust Company merged with Dollar Saving & Trust to form the Wheeling Dollar Saving & Trust Company The Athenaeum became the Daily Athenaeum Clyde O. Law became board chairman of West Virginia Wesleyan College The WWVA's Wheeling Jamboree country music show began A new central portion of Wheeling Hospital was constructed WHIS increased to 250 watts The Coal House was built in Williamson of bituminous coal Edwin S. Maclin became president of West Virginia Institute of Technology
1941
A mine strike at Widen occurred Other events that happened on or around 1941 UMWA eliminated the traditional wage differences between northern and southern coalfields Cleve Bailey appointed director of the state budget Main structure of the Buckhannon Highways Garage was built by prison labor The administration building was built at Buckhannon Highways Garage Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper were married Rose Cousins went to Tuskegee Institute to try out for the Air Force training program for black combat pilots West Virginia: A Guide to the Mountain State was published An extension was added to the original 1927 Diamond Department Store building Joanne Dru married Dick Haymes West Virginia Farm Bureau Service Company was sold to Southern States Cooperative Ruel Foster joined the faculty of WVU Earle T. Andrews became general manager of operations of the Berkeley Glass Sand Mining Plant in Morgan County Governor Neely appointed Howard Gore to the state's three-man Public Service Commission Alberta Pierson Hannum wrote The Gods and One Roy Lee Harmon wrote Around the Mountains Homer Holt began practicing law in Charleston Another Textile Workers of America strike occurred at Interwoven Mills It's Wheeling Steel radio program moved to the NBC Blue Network Johnnie Johnson left West Virginia The first funds were allocated by legislature for libraries Hubert Skidmore wrote Hawks Nest Hubert Skidmore wrote Hawks Nest The Little Beaver Lake was created with the damming of Little Beaver Creek Joseph Long left office as president of Huntington Chamber of Commerce The electric railway from McMechen and Moundsville were replaced by buses Walter Martens began a partnership with his son Robert Martens Sandy Mason died Matilda Mason became the president of Mason College of Music and Fine Arts Labor leader Joe Powell began work as a glass cutter for Roland Glass Company in Clarksburg. Attorney General Abraham A. "Cousin Abe" Lilly resided in the penthouse at the Ruffner Hotel An article by Clay Perry in the Saturday Evening Post describes four cavers trapped in the Sinks of Gandy for five hours Col. H. Clare Hess was appointed superintendent at the State Police Academy The National Labor Relations Board found Weirton Steel guilty of unfairly promoting its company union The Stone & Thomas department store chain came to Charleston The butadiene plant at Institute had capacity of 80,000 tons/year Morris Harvey College became a self-governing independent college The Navy named a light cruiser the U.S.S. Huntington Volkmar Wentzel enlisted in the Air Force WSAZ radio began fulltime operation and assumed frequency of 930 kHz New River State College was renamed the West Virginia Institute of Technology (now WVU Institute of Technology) Chuck Yeager enlisted in the Army Air Corps Hurry-up Yost retired as Michigan's athletic director Helen Froelich married Rush Holt
1952
A strike at Widen occurred 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 The Bluestone Dam and Lake was completed Virginia Mae Brown was named West Virginia’s first woman assistant attorney general
1959
J. G. Bradley sold the Widen Mine to Clinchfield Coal Company 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 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 Water ski shows failed to draw a crowd 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
1963
The Widen mine and railroad ceased operation 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 The first Water Festival was held at Hinton 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 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 |
West Virginia Humanities Council | 1310 Kanawha Blvd E | Charleston, WV 25301 Ph. 304-346-8500 | © 2024 All Rights Reserved
About e-WV | Our Sponsors | Help & Support | Contact Us The essential guide to the Mountain State can be yours today! Click here to order.