1. On December 18, 1777, the first state constitution of West Virginia was adopted by the West Virginia House of Delegates. It established the basic structure of the new state government and recognized the rights of its citizens.

2. In 1862, during the Civil War, Union troops led by General Benjamin Franklin Kelley clashed with Confederate forces near the town of Romney. The Battle of Romney was one of several that took place in West Virginia during the war.

3. On December 18, 1872, the state of West Virginia established its first public school system. The new system aimed to provide education to all students in the state, regardless of their social or economic status.

4. In 1933, the state of West Virginia established the Workers' Compensation Fund, which provided financial support and medical benefits to workers who were injured on the job. The fund has since evolved into the state's current workers' compensation program.

5. On December 18, 1972, West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for president in 1976. Although he did not ultimately win the nomination, Byrd was a prominent figure in West Virginia politics for decades, serving in the Senate for over 50 years.