1. On October 22, 1862, Confederate General John B. Floyd was forced to abandon the Kanawha Valley, which marked a major turning point in the Civil War in West Virginia.

2. In 1923, the West Virginia State Police was officially established on October 22, becoming the fourth state police agency in the United States.

3. On October 22, 1937, the famous New River Gorge Bridge project was started in West Virginia. It was completed in 1977 and is now a popular tourist attraction.

4. The Greenbrier, one of West Virginia's most luxurious resorts, was opened on October 22, 1778. It served as a military hospital during the Civil War and has hosted numerous presidents and celebrities over the years.

5. On October 22, 1959, the West Virginia Board of Education approved the first statewide school building program, which provided funding for the construction of new schools and the renovation of existing ones.