1. In 1863, the Battle of Vienna took place during the American Civil War. Confederate forces led by General William E. Jones attacked Union troops in Vienna, but were ultimately repelled.

2. On June 21, 1932, West Virginia Governor William G. Conley declared martial law in Logan County, in response to labor unrest known as the Battle of Blair Mountain. The conflict was between striking coal miners and the company hired guards and law enforcement.

3. In 1938, the New River Gorge Bridge opened to traffic. The bridge spans over 3,000 feet and is the longest steel span bridge in the western hemisphere. It is also one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world.

4. On this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy visited West Virginia to celebrate the state's centennial. He gave a speech at the state capitol in Charleston, where he praised the state's contributions to the nation.

5. In 1980, the West Virginia Statehood Stamp was issued by the United States Postal Service to commemorate the state's 117th anniversary of statehood. The stamp features a portrait of the state's founder, George Washington, and the state flower, the rhododendron.