1. On December 9, 1755, the Battle of Great Cacapon took place during the French and Indian War. British Colonel George Washington led a surprise attack on a French encampment, resulting in a British victory.

2. In 1859, the Virginia General Assembly voted to allow the formation of a new state, West Virginia, which was officially admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863. December 9 is celebrated as West Virginia Day in the state.

3. The first-ever football game played at the West Virginia University Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium took place on December 9, 1980. The Mountaineers defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats 41-27.

4. In 1986, the USS West Virginia (SSBN-736), a United States Navy ballistic missile submarine, was commissioned.

5. On December 9, 2016, West Virginia's largest county, Kanawha County, declared a state of emergency due to a chemical spill into the Elk River, contaminating the water supply for the area. Schools and businesses were closed, and residents were advised not to use tap water for any purpose other than flushing toilets.