1. In 1877, the Battle of Bulltown took place in Braxton County. This was one of the last battles of the American Civil War in the state. Union forces, led by Capt. Robert Thompson, defeated the Confederate forces led by Capt. William L. Jackson.

2. On July 18, 1931, the world's largest steer, Big Jim, was born in West Virginia. Weighing over 3,600 pounds, he was declared the largest ever by the Guinness World Records. Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of six due to a heart attack.

3. In 1969, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd was appointed to the Senate Finance Committee on this day. Byrd, who served as a senator from West Virginia from 1959 until his death in 2010, became one of the most influential members of Congress during his tenure.

4. July 18, 1989, was a historic day for West Virginia University's athletic department. The university officially joined the Big East Conference, one of the largest and most prestigious athletic conferences in the country.

5. On July 18, 2002, RUTH, the first large-scale coal preparation plant in West Virginia, was officially opened in Raleigh County. The facility was designed to produce ultra-clean coal for use in power generation, and was expected to help boost the state's coal industry.