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Lumberjack Contests
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1870
Crosscut saws replaced the ax as the preferred tool for felling trees Other events that happened on or around 1870 Celebration staged in Parkersburg after ratification of the 15th Amendment Railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington located the western terminus of Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad in present Huntington Cheat River declared a public highway Claymont Court mansion (Jefferson County) was advertised for sale by Bushrod Corbin Washington's grandson Henry Gassaway Davis helped lead the Democrats in for their control over the state Marmaduke Dent received B.A from WVU Joseph Diss Debar produced The West Virginia Hand-Book and Immigrant's Guide Alexander Donaghho came to Parkersburg Fayetteville population jumped to 6,647 Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler began his map-making trips Camp Straton United Confederate Veterans began controlling Logan County polices German immigration increased during the Franco-Prussian War John Hale started the first steam ferry at Charleston John Hale was a leader in having the state capital moved to Charleston Literary Hall was built in Romney The West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind was established in Romney John Henry began working as a steel driver during the construction of the Big Bend (Great Bend) Tunnel The state was reported to have 2,270 schools Investment in manufacturing began increasing Immigrants from Switzerland settled in the area of Holly River George Imboden moved to Fayette County Jacob Jackson became Wood County's prosecuting attorney A proposed waterway between Tidewater Virginia and Rocky Mountains was proposed to Congress by Waitman T. Willey The capital was moved from Wheeling to Charleston Henry Clay Dickinson became president of Kanawha Valley Bank James Kay arrived in Charleston John Kenna was admitted to the bar Marshall College added a new brick addition at the west end of the existing building John Nuttall bought coal lands on New River The Flick Amendment was introduced Petersburg became the county seat of Grant County Henry Ragland moved to Wayne County. Alexander Reynolds began serving in Egypt Literary Hall was built by the Literary Society in Romney Cecil Clay of Philadelphia began timber purchases in Greenbrier Valley William Stevenson was defeated for second term as governor There were 178 tanneries in West Virginia The Daily Sentinel became the Taylor County newspaper The town of Volcano was founded Wayne County population was at 7,852 WesBanco was founded as German Bank Legislature voted for additional buildings at Weston State Hospital The Potomac River flooded The Shenandoah River flooded
1938
Upton Sears made a special crosscut saw to cut the famous Mingo Oak Other events that happened on or around 1938 The Short Ballot Amendment was rejected by voters Jazz singer Jennie Smith was born Report by Paul A. T. Noon and Mildred W. Sandoe showed 88% of West Virginia were without library services The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers began at WHIS radio in Bluefield Pare Lorentz was appointed head of the U.S. Film Service by President Franklin Roosevelt Jack Maurice joined the staff of the Charleston Daily Mail as a reporter Howard Gray became president of the Meadow River Lumber Company The federal prison camp at Mill Point opened Congress approved construction of flood-control reservoir on the Mud River Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was incorporated The New York Central merged with the K&M, K&WV and other railroads The Greenbrier County Museum Committee was created The wooden deck of the Philippi Covered Bridge was removed and replaced with a concrete deck supported by steel girders and new intermediate concrete piers Pinnacle Rock State Park opened The first annual "Feast of the Ramson" was held in Richwood Ruth Rohde served on the advisory board of Alderson's Federal Reformatory for Women Hubert Skidmore published Heaven Came So Near Ada "Bricktop" Smith made radio broadcast in France The West Virginia Department of Mines first reported production figures for surface mining The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Tygart Dam Clint Thomas suffered an ankle injury An area for an arboretum was set aside in Watoga State Park The dental hygiene department opened at West Liberty State College A West Liberty State College branch campus opened in Wheeling The state was divided into four regions for the West Virginia Athletic Union basketball tournament WVU had 3,500 students and 150 faculty Patty Willis exhibited her work at the Society of International Artists in New York Joe L. Smith Jr applied for a broadcast license Fairmont radio station WMMN increased to 5,000 watts Grote Reber confirmed that radiation at radio wavelengths was reaching the earth from outer space
1960
Arden Cogar Sr. started the Webster County Wood Chopping Festival Other events that happened on or around 1960 Chauncey H. Browning's unexpired term in the Supreme Court ended The Conference of Appalachian Governors was formed The President's Appalachian Regional Commission, PARC created, led by FDR Jr. The position of state archeologist was created by state legislature Tony Boyle became vice president of the UMWA Chauncey H. Browning was Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court Clay County was producing 900,000 tons of coal Jack Fleming became general manager of WAJR radio in Morgantown Construction on the Summersville Lake and Dam began. Construction on the Summersville Lake and Dam began Greer Lime Company was formed The Greer Lime Company began production at Key The Glen Rogers Mine was closed by the Old Ben Coal Corporation Partner D. Ray Hall sold Gravely Motor Plow and Cultivator Company to Studebaker Weirton had highest population in Hancock County at 28,201 Vera Andrews Harvey replaced Roy Lee Harmon as poet laureate The campus of Storer College was added to the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park The United Hospital Center was erected The state population fell to 1,860,421 Frank Hutchison's "Alabama" became a major county hit for Cowboy Copas Storer College buildings were added to the Harpers Ferry National Park Kanawha County peak population at 252,925 Governor Smith was the Democratic state chairman Tom Kromer returned to Huntington from Albuquerque John L. Lewis retired as the president of the UMWA D. K. Shroyer became president of Beckley College (now Mountain State University The City-County Building in Ohio County was dedicated Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area purchased by the West Virginia Conservation Commission The N&W operated its last steam equipment The Chesapeake & Ohio and the Baltimore & Ohio began a gradual consolidation that eventually included Western Maryland Otis Rice received a Ph.D. in history at Univ. of Kentucky Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company was sold to the Georgia-Pacific Corporation Jay Rockefeller returned from the International Christian University in Tokyo Rocket boys Homer Hickam, Roy Lee Cooke, Willie Rose, Jim O'Dell Carroll, Quentin Wilson and Sherman Siers won top prize at the National Science Fair for their exhibit "A Study of Amateur Rocketry Techniques" Reported 110,000 Catholics in West Virginia St. Marys population peaked at 2,442 Fred Schaus left as basketball coach at WVU Mary Lee Settle wrote Know Nothing The Preston Railroad line was abandoned South Charleston's population peaked at 19,180 Weirton population peaked at 28,201 Jerry West was unanimous choice for first-team All-American Jerry West co-captained the undefeated U.S. Olympic team West Liberty State College enrollment exceeded 1,000 for the first time The West Virginia Music Educators Association began the movement to adopt "The West Virginia Hills" as the state song Wheeling Steel plants stretched for 30 miles along the Ohio River Henry Aaron was appointed conductor of the Wheeling Symphony There were 1,000 students enrolled at West Virginia Institute of Technology Patrice Harris was born in Bluefield John McKay became head coach at University of Southern California
1972
Arden Cogar Sr. cut a 10x10 vertical white pine in 14.45 seconds Other events that happened on or around 1972 Patrick Gainer retired as professor at WVU Glenville State College celebrated its centennial The Greenbrier Military Academy closed Perry Gresham wrote Campbell and the Colleges Deliverance was made into a movie, furthering hillbilly stereotypes William Hoffman wrote A Walk to the River S. L. Jones' work was discovered at Pipestem State Park by folk art collector Herbert Wade Hemphill Jr. Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital was completed in Lewis County Harold Harvey and others began work to promote a state Libertarian Party Reported 80% of states population had some sort of library service Frederic J. Glazer became executive secretary of the West Virginia Library Commission Little Beaver State Park was established The Louie Glass Company was sold by Margaret Wohinc Louise McNeill published her second collection of poems M. Blane Michael was appointed special U.S. assistant attorney, Northern District of West Virginia A $30 state clothing allowance reached about 44,000 welfare children Agnes Reeves Greer died The Coty American Fashion Critics' Award recognized Mountain Artisans as helping to spur the American crafts movement The Mountain Institute was founded as the Woodlands Institute O'Dell Hall was built at Beckley College (now Mountain State University) The Mountaineer mascot figure was first used in commerce Milan Puskar left Mylan Pharmaceuticals The Mystery Hole became a Fayette County roadside attraction John Norman went to the Texas Heart Institute Logging in Otter Creek ceased when an effort began to have the area designated a wilderness area A state highway marker was erected to commemorate the Pinch Reunion Aerial tramway began operation at Pipestem Resort State Park Former Attorney General C. Donald Robertson pleads guilty to charges involving kickbacks on federal housing assistance Pricketts Fort was listed on the National Register of Historic Places Announcer Jack Fleming first referred to the West Virginia University marching band as the "Pride of West Virginia" during the Peach Bowl broadcast Legislation authorized the state Department of Education to create Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) The Shenandoah Corporation bought the Charles Town Race Track Title 9 federal legislation mandated school and college athletic programs for girls and women Stonecoal Lake was built Mel Street recorded "Borrowed Angel" The Wells Hotel building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places Cecil Underwood was named president of Bethany College Grand Central Mall, West Virginia's first shopping mall, was built at Vienna Uncle Homer Walker was featured in the documentary film Morris Family Old-Time Music Festival Jerry West was named most valuable player in NBA all-star game Jerry West played in the NBA championship West Liberty lost its Wheeling and Weirton branch campuses The West Liberty branch campus in Wheeling became West Virginia Northern Community College Warren S. Lewis led the major updating of the old seminary grounds at Hilltop Baptist Center A new hospital opened in Weston Charles L. Currie S.J. became president of Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) Robert Kreis left Wheeling Symphony leading way to guest conductors Bob Wise became involved in community redevelopment from the Buffalo Creek disaster Bill Withers won a Grammy for "Ain't No Sunshine" Carol Miller graduated from Columbia College
1975
Arden Cogar St cut an 8x8 inch horizontal yellow poplar in 7.05 seconds Other events that happened on or around 1975 Logan County presented its first annual Arts and Crafts Fair Jack Maurice won the Pulitzer Prize for the editorials he wrote on the Kanawha County Textbook Controversy Georgia-Pacific tore down the Meadow River Lumber Company sawmill at Rainelle M. Blane Michael became a law clerk to Judge Robert Maxwell John Keel first published The Mothman Prophecies Additions were added to the Mount St. George mansion (Vancroft) Otter Creek was designated a wilderness area under the Eastern Wilderness Act by Congress Squire Parsons became the baritone singer for the Kingston Quartet Pendleton Nursing Home was formed Janet Pauley filed a class-action law suit against the Lincoln County school system, alleging children in Lincoln County were not receiving educational opportunities equal to students in richer counties St. Francis Hospital board of directors developed plans for a new patient tower, parking garage, medical office building, and renovations The Grafton Daily Sentinel became the Mountain Statesman John Kelly resigned as state treasurer The Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation was founded Virginia's Chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places The Watters Smith Memorial State Park expanded due to gift of land by Rachel Smith Hershey A botanist from the state Department of Agriculture resurveyed the state's weeds The federal Eastern Wilderness Act passed West Virginia Northern Community College opened a third campus in New Martinsville Legislature created the West Virginia State Rail Authority Harness racing at Wheeling Downs stopped A dog racing bill was passed by the state legislature The nursing school at Wheeling Hospital was discontinued Wheeling Hospital moved to a new facility Bob Wise graduated from the Tulane University School of Law Chuck Yeager retired from the Air Force Dennis Harrah was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams football team
1990
Melvin Lentz cut through a 20-inch ponderosa pine in 19.76 seconds with a one-person crosscut saw Other events that happened on or around 1990 The Glenville State College Pioneer Center was renamed the Heflin Center in honor of the president A 1,000-vehicle parking lot and visitor complex was built outside the lower town at Harpers Ferry West Virginia was reapportioned from four congressional districts to three following the 1990 census The Hatfield-McCoy Trail Coalition was formed Harold Hayslett's article "Shaping Blocks for Cello Sides" was published in The Journal of the Violin Society of America Jordache Enterprises purchased Heck's for $1 and assumption of large debts The Itmann Company Store was placed on the National Register of Historic Places Pare Lorentz was awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History Reported 128,168 manufactured homes in West Virginia The B&O Shop in Martinsburg closed The Martinsburg Evening Journal changed from an afternoon to a morning newspaper and changed its name to Morning Journal Kathy Mattea was named the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year Arch A. Moore Jr. pleaded guilty to federal charges of mail fraud, tax fraud, extortion and obstruction of justice, and was imprisoned The first video lottery machines were installed at the Mountaineer Race Track Vicky Bullett played professional basketball in Italy until 1997 and was a four-time all-star in the Italian League.
1993
Melvin Lentz cut through a 34-inch ponderosa pine log in 4.85 seconds using a modified chain saw Other events that happened on or around 1993 Buffington Island preservation became a part of the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge Gaston Caperton said "how can we expect our children to value schooling when it's obvious we don't value our schools?" Curly Ray Cline retired from fiddling Stephen Coonts wrote The Red Horseman Flora of West Virginia was reissued by Seneca Books New records set of estimated lumber production exceeded 1.5 billion board feet Owens-Illinois Glass Company's Huntington plant closed Nathan Goff Jr.'s house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places at time of demolition The carriage house of the High Gate mansion underwent rehabilitation T. D. Jakes moved his church to a larger building in Cross Lanes The Kimball War Memorial was placed on the National Register of Historic Places The name of the Martinsburg paper was changed from Morning Journal to the Journal Irene McKinney was appointed poet laureate by Governor Gaston Caperton
1995
Melvin Lentz chopped a 13-inch horizontal yellow poplar in 18.85 seconds and a 12-inch yellow poplar vertical block in 15.97 seconds Other events that happened on or around 1995 Legislature changed the name of Huntington State Hospital to Huntington Hospital Ravenswood Aluminum Corporation became part of Century Aluminum June Kilgore was honored with the Distinguished West Virginian award by Governor Gaston Caperton Keith Mailard wrote Hazard Zones Andy Davis began working in antique style with solid core, diachronic, and mica-flake designs glass marbles The Moundsville State Penitentiary closed Randy Moss was chosen West Virginia high school football player of the year The Woodlands Institute changed its name to Mountain Institute The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence was revived in Project Phoenix State Parks administration was returned to Natural Resources from the Division of Tourism Donald Rasmussen was named "Civil Libertarian of the Year" by the West Virginia Civil Liberties Union.
1996
Arden Cogar Jr. cut a 13-inch vertical white pine log in 15.01 seconds Other events that happened on or around 1996 Joe Manchin first decided to run for governorship A floodwall was built at Matewan to protect the town from the Tug River Governor Gaston Caperton's family bought Seely Pine Furniture The boarding-house prison that held Mother Jones was demolished by its owners Phyllis Reynolds Naylor was awarded the West Virginia Children's book Award for Boys Start the War Bhaktipada (Keith Gordon Ham) was imprisoned Bishop T. D. Jakes relocated to Texas to head a church and national media ministry The Sisters of Saint Joseph entered into a joint venture with Columbia HCA Marshall University defeated Montana for the NCAA 1-AA football championship Jim Sprouse served as state chairman of Charlotte Pritt's campaign The Sweet Springs resort was sold to private hands Tamarack opened Construction on an expansion on the Tolsia Highway began
1999
Melvin Lentz and Paul Cogar cut an 8x8 yellow poplar log through two times in 5.08 seconds using a crosscut saw Other events that happened on or around 1999 Henry Louis Gates edited Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and the African-American Experience Mountains and Music was published by the University of Illinois Press A golf course was added to the Hawks Nest State Park John Hendricks formed the Womens United Soccer Association Homer Hickam published his first novel, Back to the Moon William Hoffman published Doors William Hoffman won the Dashiell Hammett Prize for Tidewater Blood The 42-megawatt facility on the Ohio River at Belleville began producing electricity Century Aluminum divided and sold part of the operation to Pechiney Rolled Products Charles James III sold the James Produce Company First National Bank of Keystone was closed by federal agencies Keith Mailard published Gloria Jedediah Purdy published For Common Things Ellie Mannette received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts Mount Olive Prison began operating above capacity City of Morgantown agreed to lease the Tibbs Run Reservoir property to West Virginia Botanic Garden View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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