1. The West Virginia Department of Education was established on December 7, 1863, making it the oldest state-level education agency in the United States.
2. On December 7, 1907, Monongah, West Virginia, experienced one of the worst mining disasters in American history when an explosion killed 362 workers.
3. The Greenbrier, a luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, opened on December 7, 1913. During World War II, the U.S. government used the facility as a relocation center for Axis diplomats.
4. West Virginia native and former governor Gaston Caperton was inaugurated as the chairman of the College Board on December 7, 1999. He served in this position until 2004, overseeing the organization's efforts to expand access to higher education.
5. Groundbreaking for the Robert C. Byrd Biotechnology Science Center at Marshall University occurred on December 7, 2006. The facility has since become a world-renowned research hub in areas such as cancer treatment and infectious disease.