Today In History
5 Fun Facts About March 29 In West Virginia History
1. On March 29, 1862, the Battle of Winchester took place during the American Civil War. Confederate forces, led by General Stonewall Jackson, defeated Union forces, securing southwestern Virginia for the Confederacy. 2. In 1901, the first ever West Virginia State Women's Golf Association tournament was held on March 29....
5 Fun Facts About February 28 In West Virginia History
1. The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain: On February 28, 1864, Confederate forces under the command of Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins and Colonel John S. Witcher clashed with Union troops at Cloyd's Mountain near Dublin, Virginia. The battle resulted in significant casualties for the Confederates and helped secure Union control...
5 Fun Facts About April 11 In West Virginia History
1. On April 11, 1861, the first shots of the American Civil War were fired in West Virginia at the Battle of Philippi. Union forces, under the command of General George B. McClellan, defeated Confederate soldiers in the first land battle of the war. 2. The West Virginia state motto,...
5 Fun Facts About April 10 In West Virginia History
1. On April 10, 1865, a Union army under the command of General William McKinley marched into Charleston, West Virginia, marking the end of Confederate resistance in the state. The Union forces had driven Confederate troops out of the Kanawha Valley and secured control of the important salt mines in...
5 Fun Facts About April 9 In West Virginia History
1. In 1865, the American Civil War officially ended in West Virginia as Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. 2. On April 9, 1917, West Virginia became the first state to create a state-run Department of Public Welfare....
5 Fun Facts About April 8 In West Virginia History
1. The first newspaper in West Virginia, the Wheeling Intelligencer, was first published on April 8, 1830. The paper still exists today as a daily publication. 2. On April 8, 1861, the Virginia Convention voted to secede from the Union, a decision that would have a major impact on the...
5 Fun Facts About April 7 In West Virginia History
1. The Battle of Greenbrier River: On April 7, 1862, Confederate forces under General Edward Johnson clashed with Union forces under General Robert Milroy at the Battle of Greenbrier River. The engagement resulted in a Confederate victory and helped secure southern control of western Virginia. 2. West Virginia became a...
5 Fun Facts About April 6 In West Virginia History
1. On April 6, 1865, the Battle of Saltville occurred in southwest Virginia, not far from the West Virginia border. The battle was fought between Confederate forces led by General Robert E. Lee and Union troops under the leadership of General George Stoneman. The Confederates were victorious in this battle,...
5 Fun Facts About April 5 In West Virginia History
1. In 1917, West Virginia became the first state to impose a sales tax. The tax was one cent for every five cents spent and was initially intended to raise funds for World War I efforts. 2. On April 5, 1930, the city of Fairmont was struck by a devastating...
5 Fun Facts About April 4 In West Virginia History
1. On April 4, 1865, Union troops under the command of General George C. Crook defeated Confederate forces at the Battle of Cumberland Church in Greene County, West Virginia. This battle was one of the last engagements of the Civil War fought west of the Appalachian Mountains. 2. On April...
5 Fun Facts About April 3 In West Virginia History
1. On April 3, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Emergency Banking Act into law, which aimed to stabilize the banking system during the Great Depression. While not specific to West Virginia, many banks in the state were able to reopen thanks to the act. 2. In 1865, Confederate...
5 Fun Facts About April 2 In West Virginia History
1. In 1865, Confederate General John Echols surrendered his troops at Lewisburg, effectively ending the Civil War in West Virginia. Echols had been leading a guerrilla campaign against Union forces but was unable to maintain his position in the face of increasing pressure from the federal army. 2. On April...