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On This Day
in West Virginia History...

August


August 1
On August 1, 1893, in the midst of controversy over the removal of the county seat of Tucker County from St. George to Parsons, a large group of men forcibly moved the county court records to Parsons.
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August 2
On August 2, 1999, President Bill Clinton declared all 55 West Virginia counties part of a federal drought disaster area.
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August 3
On August 3, 1940, West Virginia Day was held at the New York World's Fair.
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August 4
On August 4, 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis at Langin Field in Moundsville.
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August 5
On August 5, 1992, the State Board of Education took control of Logan County schools.
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August 6
On August 6, 1873, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia met for the first time in Charlestown, Jefferson County.
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August 7
On August 7, 1882, Ellison Hatfield was mortally wounded at an election day gathering in Kentucky.
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August 8
On August 8, 1912, in a struggle over control of the Wetzel Tribune, the editor sought an injunction to prevent the new manager from publishing the newspaper.
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August 9
On August 9, 1954, former Logan County sheriff Don Chafin died in Huntington.
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August 10
On August 10, 1862, Union troops destroyed the Mercer Salt Works in present-day Summers County.
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August 11
On August 11, 1904, the West Virginia Legislature passed an act providing for the reassessment of all real estate in the state.
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August 12
On August 12, 1968, the federal trial of former Governor William Wallace Barron and five other men, charged with conspiracy to engage in bribery in connection with state government contracts, began in Charleston.
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August 13
On August 13, 1992, Governor Gaston Caperton announced the creation of the West Virginia Streams Restoration Program, dedicated to treating acid drainage from coal mining.
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August 14
On August 14, 1755, George Washington was appointed colonel of the Virginia Regiment.
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August 15
On August 15, 1906, the Niagara Movement began a five-day meeting on the Storer College campus at Harpers Ferry, during which attendees paid tribute to John Brown and speakers spoke in support of African-American civil rights.
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August 16
On August 16, 1851, William Hope "Coin" Harvey, who ran for president of the United States in 1932, was born in Buffalo, Putnam County.
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August 17
On August 17, 1976, the Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beckley was dedicated.
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August 18
On August 18, 1749, French explorer Celeron de Blainville planted a lead plate along the Ohio River at present-day Point Pleasant, claiming the territory for France.
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August 19
On August 19, 1899, W. E. Stathers, superintendent of Weston Hospital for the Insane, was found not guilty of charges that he engaged in improper relations with female employees.
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August 20
On August 20, 1925, Gloria Swanson, who was in New Martinsville filming the movie Stage Struck, had dinner with Governor Howard Gore.
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August 21
On August 21, 1993, the First Masonic Heritage Day Celebration was held in Charleston.
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August 22
On August 22, 1862, Joseph Snider of Monongalia County was appointed colonel of the 7th [West] Virginia Infantry.
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August 23
On August 23, 1891, Chester D. Hubbard of Wheeling, one of the founding fathers of West Virginia, died.
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August 24
On August 24, 1852, Rufus Maxwell of Lewis County was issued a patent for his improvement in churns.
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August 25
On August 25, 1891, ground was broken on construction of the first building of West Virginia Colored Institute, now West Virginia State University, in Institute.
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August 26
On August 26, 1937, the first Spud and Splinter Festival was held in Richwood.
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August 27
Confederate forces defeated Union forces led by General William Averell at the Battle of White Sulphur Springs, fought on August 26-27, 1863.
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August 28
On August 28, 1952, a three-day celebration of the centennial of the construction of the historic covered bridge at Philippi began.
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August 29
On August 29, 1901, a Confederate monument was unveiled at Union.
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August 30
On August 30, 1826, citizens of Lewisburg and Greenbrier County held a public dinner in honor of United States Secretary of State Henry Clay.
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August 31
On August 31, 1979, the first West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival began in Clarksburg.
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On This Day in West Virginia History

West Virginia Archives and History