1. On September 20, 1862, West Virginia became the 35th state to join the United States of America. It was formed during the Civil War as a result of the secession of Confederate Virginia.

2. Charles Town, West Virginia, was the site of the trial and execution of John Brown, an abolitionist who led the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry. Brown was hanged on December 2, 1859, but his legacy lives on in West Virginia and American history.

3. In 1890, the first State Fair of West Virginia was held in Wheeling, the state's largest city at the time. The fair has since moved to Fairlea and features agricultural exhibits, live music, entertainment, and carnival rides.

4. On September 20, 1913, the state's first public high school, Parkersburg High, opened its doors. The school now has a storied history, notable alumni, and a diverse student body.

5. During the Mining Wars of the early 1900s, union miners clashed with company-hired guards and state troopers in the West Virginia coalfields. On September 20, 1921, a shootout occurred in Matewan, West Virginia, between the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency and local miners. The event would become known as the Matewan Massacre and has since been the subject of books, films, and documentaries.