1. In 1862, the Battle of Stones River began in Tennessee, which would later have an impact on West Virginia. The Union victory solidified the state’s borders and ensured its continued participation in the Civil War.

2. On December 31, 1863, West Virginia was officially granted statehood by President Abraham Lincoln. The state had been created out of parts of Virginia during the Civil War, and its admission to the Union was seen as a strategic move by Lincoln to bring in a loyal, anti-slavery state.

3. In 1897, the New River Gorge Bridge was completed in West Virginia, making it the largest steel arch bridge in the world at the time. The bridge spans 3,030 feet and was a major engineering feat of its time. It is still in use today as a popular spot for bungee jumping and other thrill-seeking activities.

4. On December 31, 1902, a mine explosion at the New River Coal Company’s mine in Fayette County killed 46 miners. The disaster was one of the worst in West Virginia’s history, and it brought national attention to the dangerous working conditions faced by coal miners.

5. In 1984, the West Virginia Mountaineers football team won the Bluebonnet Bowl, defeating the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs 31-14. The win capped off a successful season for the Mountaineers, who finished with a record of 8-3-1.