1. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address during the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While this did not take place in West Virginia, the state played a significant role in the Civil War and many soldiers from the state participated in the battle.

2. On November 19, 1916, the first public high school in Morgantown, West Virginia, opened its doors. The school was called University High School and was located on the campus of West Virginia University.

3. In 1969, a mine explosion in Farmington, West Virginia, killed 78 miners. This tragedy led to the passage of stricter mine safety laws and improved working conditions for miners in the state.

4. On November 19, 1985, singer-songwriter John Denver was awarded the key to the city of Charleston, West Virginia, in recognition of his contributions to the state's tourism industry. Denver had recorded a song called "Take Me Home, Country Roads" which became an unofficial anthem of West Virginia.

5. In 2016, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared November 19 to be "West Virginia Honeybee Day" in honor of the important role that honeybees play in the state's ecosystem and agriculture industry. The day is meant to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators and their impact on food production.