1) In 1861, the Battle of Rich Mountain occurred in Randolph County during the American Civil War. This Union victory helped secure control of western Virginia for the remainder of the war.

2) The New River Gorge Bridge, one of the longest steel arch bridges in the world, was completed on July 10, 1977. It spans over 3,000 feet across the New River and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

3) On July 10, 1921, President Warren G. Harding visited Huntington, WV to give a speech and dedicate a local memorial to Revolutionary War hero, Andrew Lewis.

4) In 1939, Chuck Yeager, a native of Hamlin, WV and future test pilot, enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He would later become the first person to break the sound barrier in 1947.

5) West Virginia became the 35th state in the United States on June 20, 1863. However, it was not until July 10, 1863, that President Abraham Lincoln officially declared West Virginia a state through a Presidential Proclamation.