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WSAZ
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Oct 16, 1923
WSAZ began broadcasting in Pomeroy, Ohio
1927
WSAZ (now WRVC) moved to Huntington from Pomeroy, Ohio
1928
WSAZ moved to 580kHz Other events that happened on or around 1928 Phoeba Parsons married and stopped playing banjo A devastating fire destroyed one of the main blocks in the town of Winfield The St. Marys factory making buttons from river mussel shells closed The state built the first public campground in Seneca State Forest The first state tree nursery was established at Seneca State Forest Meadow River Lumber Company of Rainelle, built Meriluco, a cottage on the State Fair Grounds Wheeling Steel completed work on its strip mill The Tri-City Traction streetcar line was built between Princeton and Bluefield Festus Summers became professor of history and political science at Morris Harvey College, now University of Charleston West Virginia property tax revenue was at $52 million Charles W. Ferguson II became circuit judge Paul N. Elbin became an English professor at West Liberty The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra first met at the home of Eleanor Caldwell Patty Willis exhibited her work at the Society of International Artists in New York T. G. Nutter represented a group of African-American plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Charleston Public Library
1929
WSAZ was purchased by the Huntington Publishing Company Other events that happened on or around 1929 Homer Holt began working with Governor Kump on the state's finances following the stock market crash Homer Laughlin China Company suspended operations in East Liverpool, Ohio Frank Hutchison had recorded about 32 songs for the OKeh Record Company The stock market crash hurt the profits of Interwoven Mills Weirton Steel Corporation merged with Michigan Steel of Detroit and M.A. Hanna Steel of Cleveland to form National Steel Corporation The McWhorter cabin was moved to Jackson's Mill Stock market crash forced the James Produce Company into bankruptcy John L. Dickinson moved Kanawha Valley Bank into new building at the former site of the capitol building Tom Kromer began traveling the country by freight train Cousin Abe Lilly organized the Lilly Reunion Association The Logan County coal industry began to decline The Citizen's National Bank was absorbed by the Charleston National Bank I. T. Mann's business empire collapsed at the onset of the Depression Walter Martens completed the work for Homeland, a skillfully designed Colonial-revival residence in Lewisburg Bernard McDonough specialized in building gas stations in the greater Parkersburg area The Department of Mines had 25 inspectors and three inspectors at large Bath Square became Berkeley Springs State Park The Owens Bottle Company merged with Illinois Glass Company to become Owens-Illinois Glass Company Maceo Pinkard enlisted blues diva Bessie Smith for Pansy Ruth Rohde represented Florida's Fourth District St. Joseph's administrators decided to build a new hospital The Raine Lumber Company ceased logging in Seneca State Forest Ada "Bricktop" Smith married Peter Duconge Ernest Weir formed the National Steel corporation with Weirton Steel as its flagship Grace Martin Taylor visited Blanche Lazzell in Provincetown, Massachusetts Commercial mining in Webster County produced approximately 100,000 tons of coal The railroad at Webster Springs was discontinued The Archives and History library, state archives and museum moved to the new state capitol The property of the Youghiogheny Forest Colony was purchased by Frank Reeves John Zontini rushed an average per carry of 27 yards A chapel that also functioned as the superintendent’s office was built at Woodlawn T. G. Nutter filed a lawsuit regarding a restrictive covenant that prohibited African-Americans from purchasing a lot in a Huntington subdivision.
1941
WSAZ radio began fulltime operation and assumed frequency of 930 kHz 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 A mine strike at Widen occurred 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
1943
WSAZ radio affiliated with the Blue Network Other events that happened on or around 1943 William "Wally" Barron enlisted in the U.S. Army Great Britain recognized black lung as compensatory injury Blakeley was purchased and rehabilitated by Raymond J. Funkhouser Florence Blanchfield succeeded Col. Julia Flikke as Colonel The legislature changed the name of Bluefield State Teachers College to Bluefield State College (now University) Work suspended on Bluestone Dam because of WWII Sawmill at Cass sold to Mower Lumber Company of Charleston James B. Griffin described the Clover Archiological Site in The Fort Ancient Aspect Name changed from Concord State Teachers College to Concord College Artemus "A.W." Cox began serving as president of the board of trustees of Morris Harvey College Fairmont State Teachers College became Fairmont State College Floodwall in Huntington was completed Construction of the Science Hall at Glenville State College was completed Legislature changed the name from Glenville State Teachers College to Glenville State College Alberta Pierson Hannum wrote The Mountain People James Lowell McPherson succeeded Roy Lee Harmon as poet laureate of West Virginia The Concord College He-Man Club did not meet during the war years Standard Oil combined its gas subsidiaries under Consolidated Natural Gas Jehovah's Witnesses won the U.S. Supreme Court decision in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette Johnnie Johnson entered the Marines as one of the first African-Americans admitted to the Corps Howard B. Lee retired from law practice Clara Johnson became the executive secretary of the Library Commission Jack Maurice served in the U.S. Navy Reserve Ken and Faith Reynolds McClain bought the Parsons Advocate Newspaper Frank McEnteer was made chief engineer of the construction division of the U.S. armed forces in the Middle East Clarence Meadows was elected to a full term as 10th Circuit judge Arch A. Moore Jr. served as an army infantryman Raleigh County experienced its peak output of coal production during World War II. Alex Schoenbaum settled in Charleston Legislature authorized a return to the name Shepherd College Joe Stydahar joined the navy Festus Summers became president of the West Virginia Historical Society Construction began on Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston Navy assigned the name Huntington to another cruiser Legislature changed the name of West Liberty State Teachers College to West Liberty State College Florence Blanchfield became superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps Frankie Yankovic enlisted in the Army Jonah Edward Kelley was drafted into the army
1949
The Huntington Publishing Co. started WSAZ-TV Channel 3, first TV station in West Virginia and one of earliest in the country Other events that happened on or around 1949 Appalachian Electric Power provided electricity in 21 counties Clyde Beale pardoned by Governor Patteson Walter Barnes wrote The Teacher Speaks West Virginia Conservation Commission constructed Baker Lake The Berkeley Woolen Company closed its operations in Martinsburg Pearl S. Buck founded the international adoption agency, Welcome House, based in Pennsylvania Lew Burdette married Mary Ann Shelton The state's first television station WSAZ-TV went on air West Virginia chose electric chair over hanging for capital punishment Northern cardinal became the state bird William E. Davies published first full report on West Virginia caves The beginnings of the Cedar Lakes Conference Center originated in an act of the legislature B'nai Jacob congregation moved to new synagogue Little Jimmy Dickens joined the Grand Ole Opry at WSM Henry Hazelwood retired as principal The Booth family sold the Dreamland to group of Huntington businessmen Joanne Dru appeared in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon Bishop Strider announced his retirement Forestlands of West Virginia covered 60 % of state Major flood brought devastation to Grant County Capt. Mary B. Greene, wife of Capt. Gordon Greene, died Carroll High School in Hamlin was destroyed by fire Alberta Pierson Hannum's book Roseanna McCoy was released as a motion picture The Health Department shifted its emphasis from communicable diseases to chronic illnesses and other public health issues. Cam Henderson resigned as the Marshall football coach The construction of Bluestone Dam on the New River was completed Rush Holt changed his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican William Flannery became speaker of the House of Delegates Hayes Picklesimer succeeded John L. Dickinson as president of Kanawha Valley Bank Kelly Axe and Tool Company changed its name to True Temper Larry Richardson and Bob Osborne joined the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers Berry Pink and Sellers Peltier founded the Marble King Company Clarence Meadows opened a law office in Charleston Morgantown annexed Suncrest and Sabraton West Virginia Mountain State Gospel Singers Corporation invited groups from Greenbrier and Fayette counties to participate in Nicholas County homecoming of Mount Nebo Gospel Sings Marble King Factory moved to St. Marys DuPont plant built at Washington Bottom Alfred Knobler created the Pilgrim Glass Corporation Mole Hill changed its name to Mountain Jack Rollins wrote the lyrics to "Peter Cottontail" Fred Schaus made All-American in basketball at WVU Union Carbide developed its technical center above its South Charleston plant Red Sovine began recording with MGM, Decca, and eventually Starday Marshal played in the Tangerine Bowl Buddy Starcher's "I'll Still Write Your Name in the Sand" became a hit Weldon Cook and Robert Livingston Russell formed the Cook-Russell Theater Corp The sugar maple became the state tree of West Virginia The West Virginia State Police Academy began operation Commercial television cable installation began operating at Piedmont and Cameron The second USS Huntington was decommissioned after three tours to the Mediterranean WAJR-AM in Morgantown became the flagship station for statewide network distribution of WVU football and basketball games Land was donated to the state for the Watters Smith Memorial State Park Wheeling Dollar Saving & Trust acquired National Exchange Bank The State Education Association changed its name to the West Virginia Education Association Riley Wilson became seriously ill at the inauguration of President Truman Virginia Mae Brown became executive secretary of the West Virginia Judicial Council Sam Jones signed with the Cleveland Indians Elizabeth Harden married Virgil Gilmore, a future two-term Charleston city councilman Toni Stone played for the San Francisco Sea Lions, then joined the New Orleans Creoles
1957
WSAZ radio switched affiliation to NBC Other events that happened on or around 1957 Emile Hodel became editor of the Beckley Post-Herald Michael Benedum built the Bridgeport Civic Center Reorganization transferred state mental health and penal institutions to Department of Mental Health and the Commissioner of Public Institutions Weirton Steel purchased Browns Island for $40,000 S. Maude Kaemmerling willed 3,135 acres of land in Canaan Valley to West Virginia for recreational use FMC developed new source of brine at Bens Run City National Bank opened its doors under President Donald Shonk Bishop mine explodes again Jim Comstock founded the weekly West Virginia Hillbilly Deer restocking program ended Roy Bird Cook received the Award of Merit from the West Virginia Library Association Little Jimmy Dickens left the Grand Ole Opry Irvin Dugan retired as newspaper artist Donald Duncan's sons took over the Duncan Yo-Yo Company Fairfax Stone dedicated as state historic monument and became state park Gunner Gatski played football one year for Detroit The Knights of the South Branch was organized to revive medieval jousting Roy Lee Harmon wrote Unto the Hills Logan High School and its field house and athletic fields were constructed on Hatfield Island Ken Hechler moved to West Virginia to teach at Marshall College (now University) The first interstate highway construction contract in the state was awarded on I-64 for a bridge across a road in Cabell County Jean Lee Latham was awarded the Boys' Clubs of America Junior Book Award for Trail Blazer of the Seas The McClains were approached by WVU professors who feared that early West Virginia histories would be lost if not reprinted Kyle McCormick wrote The Story of Mercer County John Norman served on the aircraft carrier Saratoga A group from West Virginia and Ohio purchased land to establish a college with an independent board of trustees, now Ohio Valley University Marbon Chemical is built The announcement of plans to merge the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central System was made Filippo Colasessano's son began selling pepperoni rolls in his Fairmont lunch spot The Division of Disease Control began a statewide polio vaccination program The Kanawha River bridge was opened in Winfield Red Ribble stopped photographing southern West Virginia Otis Rice began teaching at West Virginia Institute of Technology The Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company company stores were sold The Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company coal reserves were leased to the Island Creek Coal Company Jay Rockefeller went to the International Christian University in Tokyo Shenandoah Downs purchased land north of Charles Town Race Track for night harness racing WVU Rod Hundley became All-American in basketball Jim Sprouse began practicing law Beckley radio station WAJR increased to 5,000 watts Ernest T. Weir died The last high school basketball was played under the African-American West Virginia Athletic Union Benjamin Starks founded the Beacon Journal in Charleston The Federation of Labor and Industrial Union Council agreed to combine as the West Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO West Virginia State College lost its federal land-grant status Stanley H. Martin became president of West Virginia Wesleyan College The Whipple mine shut down and the company store closed The Winfield bridge was completed
1961
WSAZ was sold out-of-state 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 The Hinton Jaycees turned the water ski show into a full festival 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
1970
WSAZ changed to WGNT Other events that happened on or around 1970 Muriel Dressler published "Appalachia" Easton Roller Mill was willed to the Monongalia Historical Society Ann Flagg died in Illinois Jack Fleming became sports director of WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh Jack Fleming became announcer for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association Ruth Ann Musick published Green Hills of Magic Fort Ashby was listed on the National Register of Historic Places Population of Grant County was at 8,607 Alberta Pierson Hannum's book Spin a Silver Dollar radio play was published as The Blue House by U.S. Information Agency The National Park Service opened the Harpers Ferry Center, to serve National Park units nationwide Frank Haymond received the American Bar Association's ABA Medal Henry Clay Furnace was added to the National Register of Historic Places James Dickey's novel, Deliverance, made the term "hillbilly" sinister Every Ohio River county except Jackson had at least one chemical plant Sam Huff ran unsuccessfully for Congress Alice Moore was elected to the Kanawha County Board of Education as an opponent of sex education Kanawha Records stopped recording Kenova population peaked at 5,000 Maryat Lee moved to Powley Creek Everett Lilly moved back to Raleigh County following son's death Alex Mahood died Joe Manchin graduated from WVU with a bachelor's in business administration The tannery in Marlinton closed Paul Marshall became a registered architect Irene McKinney received her master's from WVU The Meadow River Lumber Company was sold to Georgia-Pacific Arnold Miller was forced to retire from mining by black lung disease and arthritis Alan Mollohan began a Fairmont law firm Ona presented four NASCAR Grand National races Mylan Pharmaceuticals incorporated in Pennsylvania as Mylan Laboratories Justin B. Roberts became president of Ohio Valley College (now University) Squire Parsons graduated from West Virginia Institute of Technology The Penn Central Railroad corporation entered bankruptcy Frank Beyer purchased the Philippi mummies The first VHF non-commercial station in the state, WSWP-TV, started in Grandview Rock Springs Park shut down and was purchased by the Department of Highways. The first indication of Jay Rockefeller's intention to run for governor came when he spoke out against strip mining The Ruffner Hotel closed and was demolished for a parking lot David Selby earned a doctorate in drama from Southern Illinois University The Meadow River Lumber Company closed Jim Comstock republished Hubert Skidmore's Hawks Nest Ada "Bricktop" Smith recorded her only recording, "So Long, Baby," with Cy Colemen The South Charleston Mound was placed on the National Register of Historic Places State Police department headquarters relocated to new facilities Jerry West led the NBA in scoring The Folklore Society met at WVU The Highlands Conservancy worked to make cranberry backcountry a federal wilderness area Federal Highway Act passed allowing tolls to be retained Bob Wise received a B.A. from Duke University Bill Withers moved to Los Angeles An addition was added to the Kanawha (now Yeager) Airport
1983
WSAZ music changed from program format to country music Other events that happened on or around 1983 Roger Howdyshell bought Marble King John Sayles and Maggie Renzie arrived in West Virginia to produce a film about the Matewan Massacre Kathy Mattea got a record contract with Mercury Records Willow Glen "McKinley's Palace" was added to the National Register of Historic Places No known granny-midwives were practicing in West Virginia State Supreme Court ruled on La Rue v La Rue, which created the concept of equitable distribution of marital assets Main Street Morgantown was organized West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Mountain Stage began as a radio show hosted by Larry Groce and George Daugherty Waterford Park (later Mountaineer) racetrack closed The "Big John" dragline scoop came to the Hobet 21 surface mine in Boone and Lincoln counties The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake was published by Atlantic Monthly Press/Little Brown Silver Creek ski area opened The major northern and southern branches of American Presbyterianism reunited Ronald Ohl became president of Salem College The Seneca Glass Company closed Ada "Bricktop" Smith published her autobiography Michael Smith recorded his first album, the Michael W. Smith Project Silver Creek ski area opened down the mountain from Snowshoe Tobacco was the second most valuable farm crop in West Virginia Stephen and Deborah Starks continued publication of the Beacon Journal under the name West Virginia Beacon Digest A continuous-care and kidney dialysis center was dedicated at Wheeling Hospital Additional repairs were made to the Wheeling Suspension Bridge Winterplace ski area opened The Diamond department store closed "Diamond Teeth" Mary McClain appeared in the documentary Free Show Tonight Marc Harshman's first book of poetry, Turning Out the Stones, was published The Charleston Gazette-Mail named Buck Harless West Virginian of the Year George Daugherty and Larry Groce hosted Mountain Stage
1988
WSAZ radio in Huntington returned to local ownership Other events that happened on or around 1988 Women prison inmates were moved from Alderson to the Pruntytown Correctional Center St. Mary's Orthodox Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places The hydroelectric facility at Hannibal locks and dam was completed Wheeling College changed its name to Wheeling Jesuit College The first computerized coating facility went into operation in the Follansbee steel mill Congress designated part of the Gauley River and Meadow River as the Gauley River National Recreation Area Willard Hotel in Grafton stood vacant Bill Withers won a Grammy for "Lean on Me" Arnout "Sonny" Hyde retired as editor of the Wonderful West Virginia View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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