1. On September 5, 1892, the landmark Battle of Matewan took place in Matewan, West Virginia. This conflict marked a turning point in the labor struggles of the state's coal mines, as a group of miners and union supporters took up arms against a group of private detectives hired by the mining company.

2. On September 5, 1927, the newly-formed West Virginia State Police was officially organized. The force was created by Governor Howard Mason Gore in response to widespread violence and lawlessness in the state's coal mining regions.

3. On September 5, 1957, a historic flood devastated the town of Richwood, West Virginia. The flood, caused by Hurricane Audrey, destroyed over 1,000 homes and claimed the lives of more than 50 people.

4. On September 5, 1961, West Virginia native Chuck Yeager became the first person to exceed the speed of sound in level flight. Yeager, a legendary test pilot, achieved the feat while flying the Bell X-1A research aircraft.

5. On September 5, 1992, the West Virginia State Capitol Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Capitol, located in Charleston, was completed in 1932 and features an iconic 292-foot dome, which is one of the tallest in the United States.