Berkeley Springs

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Mar 18, 1748

A 16-year-old George Washington first visited what would become Berkeley Springs as part of a surveying party

Dec 06, 1776

The Virginia General Assembly officially recognized Berkeley Springs as the town of Bath

Other events that happened on or around December 06, 1776

1815

A Roman Bath House and Gentlemen's Spring House were built at Berkeley Springs; both are still in use today.

Sep, 1844

A fire on Wilkes Street, Berkeley Springs' main street, destroyed Morgan County's first courthouse, several boarding houses, and a general store

1862

Confederate General Stonewall Jackson based his forces in Berkeley Springs during his attack on Hancock, Maryland

Other events that happened on or around 1862

Jacob Blair and his two congressional colleagues met at the White House to discuss West Virginia admission into the Union with President Lincoln

President Lincoln decided in favor of statehood

George Imboden rose to the rank of colonel and took command of the of the 18th Virginia Calvary

The first school for black children, Sumner School, opened in Parkersburg.

Congress enacted the Morrill Act

Belle Boyd carried news of Union plans to Stonewall Jackson during the Shenandoah Valley campaign

John Carlile turned against statehood, which he had favored

John Echols served in the Kanawha Valley

John Hale served as a surgeon in the Civil War

A Natural gas well was first drilled in Hancock County

Nancy Hart was captured a second time as a rebel spy in Summersville

Collis P. Huntington persuaded Congress to designate the Central Pacific as the western half of the transcontinental railroad

Stonewall Jackson led a successful campaign in the Shenandoah Valley

Albert Jenkins was elected to the First Confederate Congress

Jacob Cox and men were driven out of the Kanawha Valley by Confederate advance led by Brig. Gen William W. Loring

U.S. troops were maneuvering from Western Virginia toward Tennessee

Joseph Lightburn was ordered to Charleston

City of Logan was occupied and burned by Union forces under Col. Edward Siber

Company 1, 12th Regiment, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry was organized in New Cumberland

The Point Pleasant Register was founded as a weekly

John Nugent was born in Wales

Federal troops occupied Raleigh County.

The Confederate Thurmond's Parisan Rangers raided in Fayette, Greenbrier and Monroe counties

Peter Van Winkle represented Wood County in Constitutional Convention

The Reorganized Government of Virginia added $40,000 for Weston State Hospital

May, 1890

The St. Elmo Hotel in Berkeley Springs burned down

Mar 22, 1898

The Berkeley Springs Hotel burned down

Jul 17, 1901

The Fairfax Inn in Berkeley Springs burned down

Jul 09, 1912

The Fairfax Inn Annex in Berkeley Springs was destroyed by fire

1932

The Country Inn opened at Berkeley Springs and remains in use today

Other events that happened on or around 1932

Mar 24, 1935

The Dunn Hotel in Berkeley Springs burned down

Mar 25, 1974

A fire that started in Berkeley Springs' Washington Hotel destroyed adjacent buildings and killed 12

1974

The first annual Apple Butter Festival was held at Berkeley Springs State Park

Other events that happened on or around 1974

The Mountaineer Mall opened in Morgantown

The Elkins newspaper building burned to the ground

Jayne Anne Phillips graduated magna cum laude from WVU

William Pierce co-founded the National Alliance

A replica of Pricketts Fort was rebuilt

Richard Freeland moved Rebel Records to Asbury in Greenbrier County

Leonard Riggleman fought to prevent Morris Harvey College from being given to the state

Rock Springs Park structures were sold to make way for a new road and Ohio River bridge.

The B&O railroad tracks were removed in Rosbys Rock

The St. Albans Archeological Site was placed on the National Register of Historic places

Sam Snead left the Greenbrier for the Homestead

Sites in Mingo, Logan and Wyoming counties were established for the southern West Virginia community and technical college

Blaze Starr wrote an autobiography

Sunrise mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places

Ewel Cornett assisted in reorganizing the Theatre West Virginia

The Catholic Committee of Appalachia raised concerns regarding the economic and political inequalities

A bronze casting of the "Lincoln Walks at Midnight" statue was made by Bernard Wiepper for the West Virginia capitol

Twin Falls pioneer homestead completed

A collection of Melville Davisson Post's stories were published in The Methods of Uncle Abner

Congress abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity poverty agency

Don West wrote O Mountaineers: A Collection of Poems

The Folklore Society met at Fairmont State

The Tomlinson mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places

WVU at Parkersburg enrollment was at 5,149 students

Baggage claim addition was built at Kanawha (Yeager) Airport

Conchata Ferrell won the Drama Desk, Obie and Theatre World Best Actress Awards

Aug 08, 2006

The Morgan County Courthouse in Berkeley Springs was destroyed by fire

Sep 25, 2010

A new Morgan County Courthouse was opened in Berkeley Springs, replacing the 1907 courthouse that burned down four years earlier

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