1. The Battle of Rich Mountain occurred on July 7, 1861 during the American Civil War. It was considered a small but significant conflict as it marked the first large-scale Union victory in the region and helped secure control of western Virginia for the Union army.

2. On July 7, 1969, the West Virginia Department of Transportation was established. The department is responsible for overseeing the state's transportation system including highways, airports, public transit, and seaports.

3. One of the worst mine disasters in US history occurred on July 7, 1911, in the town of Eccles. An explosion at the New River Gorge Coal Company's mine killed at least 83 workers and injured many more.

4. The West Virginia Wesleyan College was founded on July 7, 1890. Located in Buckhannon, the private liberal arts college has a reputation for academic excellence and its notable alumni include former US Senator Jay Rockefeller and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck.

5. On July 7, 1953, Colonel William Casey, a former World War II pilot from West Virginia, successfully landed a F-86 Sabre jet on its belly after the plane's landing gear failed to deploy. The incredible feat earned him the nickname "the Belly-lander" and he became a hero to pilots around the world.