Mountain Stage

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

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

WSAZ music changed from program format to country music

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

West Virginia became one of the top ten states as regards marijuana plant eradication

Irene McKinney won a poetry fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts

An extensive renovation of the McLure Hotel in Wheeling was completed

The Department of Mines was merged into a new West Virginia Department of Energy

The West Virginia Motor Speedway was built at Mineral Wells

A grant from the Benedum Foundation provided funds for renovations to three buildings at Beckley College (now Mountain State University)

The WVU Mountaineer mascot figure was registered as a U.S. trademark

Walter Dean Myers received the Coretta Scott King Award for his books

A section of Myrtle Beach became the Mountain State's unofficial shoreline

John Norman received the Congressional High Technology Award

Northfork High School was absorbed into Mount View High

Pence Springs Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places

Kathy Mattea's song "Walk the Way the Wind Blows" became her first major hit

McCoy's Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Congressman Alan Mollohan was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee

Mount St. George was added to the National Register of Historic Places

Zebra mussels were introduced from Europe to the Great Lakes by commercial barge traffic

Henry Payne was runner up for the Pulitzer Prize.

The Peter Tarr furnace was partially restored.

A new division was created within the PSC to provide assistance to public water and wastewater providers.

Otis Rice became vice chairman of the Kanawha County Bicentennial Commission

The Smoot Theater stopped serving as a movie theater

The State Supreme Court ruled on Cook v. Heck's regarding the firing of workers

United National Bank joined with Intermountain Bankshares and Kanawha Banking and Trust

The Education Foundation changed its name to West Virginia Historical Education Foundation

Pence Springs Resort property was purchased and renovated as a hotel

Thomas W. Cole left as president of West Virginia State College (now University)

Roomier pens making use of natural features were installed at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center at French Creek

The West Virginia Turnpike accommodated about 5 million cars

WVU Mountaineer Field football stadium expanded to 63,175 seats

A master's degree in business administration was first offered at West Virginia Wesleyan College

Rachael Worby became music director of Wheeling Symphony

The Henderson Hall historic district was added to the National Register

Robert C. Gillespie became president of West Virginia Institute of Technology

Katherine Johnson retired from NASA

Conchata Ferrell married Arnie Anderson, a sound mixer

Governor Moore designated U.S. 60 from White Sulphur Springs to Charleston as the Midland Trail Scenic Byway

Cynthia Rylant wrote But I'll Be Back Again

Lawmakers dedicated lottery profits to programs benefiting education, senior citizens, and tourism

The West Virginia College of Graduate Studies officially became the University of West Virginia College of Graduate Studies

Kathy Mattea was named the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year

Jon McBride retired from NASA and the Navy

Irene McKinney published a collection of poetry, Six O'clock Mine Report

The Minnehaha Springs post office closed

George Balsama left presidency of Beckley College (now Mountain State University)

The United Methodist Temple building, now John W. Eye Conference Center, was acquired by Beckley College (now Mountain State University)

Walter Dean Myers received the Newbery Honor Book Award for Scorpions

Walter Dean Myers received the Coretta Scott King Award for his books

First National Bank of Morgantown was acquired by Huntington Banks

The old Norwalk Motor Car Company burned down in Martinsburg

Marc Harshman’s first children’s book, A Little Excitement, was published

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

Conrail was split between the Norfolk Southern and the CSX

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

Camp Twin Creeks at Minnehaha Springs became coed

The West Virginia Motorsports Council was established by Governor Wise

North Bend State Park added a 305-acre lake

Brad Paisley joined the Grand Ole Opry

Ashby Berkley and his sister sold the Pence Springs property

Jayne Anne Phillips published Motherkind

Pilgrim's Pride bought out WLR Foods poultry processors

The PROMISE scholarship was funded

The governance role in St. Joseph's Hospital by the Sisters of St. Joseph ended

Mary Lee Settle wrote I, Roger Williams

Michael Smith performed at the presidential inaugural prayer service

The Smoke Hole Lodge closed

Surface mining production was 60 million tons

The Thomas Memorial emergency center was expanded

Marsh Wheeling Stogies stopped making cigars

Joseph Carter was elected president of UMWA District 17

The West Virginia Mining and Reclamation Association merged with the West Virginia Coal Association

Carl J. Smith began serving as director of the Geological and Economic Survey

The West Virginia Hillbilly ceased publication

Grant Cooper became conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Major renovations took place at Kanawha Airport