1. In 1865, Union general Stoneman led a raiding party into southwestern Virginia and West Virginia starting from the Cumberland Gap. The raid was aimed to disrupt Confederate forces, destroy supply lines and liberate Union prisoners held in various Confederate prison camps. The raid ended on April 25 after covering a distance of 640 miles, during which they burned a number of railroad bridges and supplies.

2. In 1936, the world’s first disaster emergency radio broadcasting station was established in Nitro, West Virginia. The station was established to evacuate the population in case of any danger. The signal tower, the frequency of the emergency radio and the code words used were agreed upon between the municipality and the radio engineer.

3. In 1972, the Kanawha Valley Mine Disaster took place at the Blacksville No. 1 Mine in West Virginia that claimed 5 lives underground. A methane gas explosion caused the deaths despite the use of protective equipment. The disaster sparked a nationwide effort to improve safety in mines and led Congress to pass the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

4. In 2009, a coal truck overturned and fell in the Cherry River at Richwood, West Virginia. The accident caused hydrocarbon leakage into the water body, which led to the death of more than 1,000 fish and other aquatic animals. The incident caused a restriction on the use of mining trucks for hauling coal by companies close to West Virginia rivers.

5. In 2015, a train carrying Bakken crude oil derailed and caught fire in Fayette County, West Virginia. No injuries were reported, but the accident caused extensive damage to the environment resulting in evacuation of nearby residents. The accident renewed calls for safer transportation of crude oil, particularly through pipelines.