Luna Park, an amusement park in Charleston
Luna Park, an amusement park in Charleston

This Week in West Virginia History

Charleston, W.Va. – The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org.

May 2, 1900: State founder Waitman Willey died in Morgantown. Willey is remembered for the Willey Amendment, which provided for the emancipation of slaves as a precondition for the creation of West Virginia.

May 2, 1925: Flying saucer investigator Gray Barker was born in Riffle, Braxton County. Barker became interested in unidentified flying objects in the 1950s after investigating the sightings of the Flatwoods Monster.

May 3, 1843: U.S. Postmaster General William Lyne Wilson was born in Smithfield, Jefferson County. Wilson joined President Cleveland’s cabinet as postmaster general in 1895. In the following year, he introduced Rural Free Delivery in Jefferson County, an experiment which was quickly instituted nationwide.

May 3, 1917: Fire destroyed the West Virginia Preparatory School in Keyser. The school was rebuilt, and it evolved into the institution now known as Potomac State College.

May 4, 1896: The Children’s Home Society was formed by a group of Charleston ministers at the YMCA. Their goal was to place orphaned and neglected children with caring families rather than crowd them into county poorhouses.

May 5, 1923: A fire started by welders working on a new swimming pool destroyed most of Luna Park, an amusement park in Charleston. Although Luna’s owners announced that they would rebuild, the park never reopened.

May 5, 1923: Golfer Bill Campbell was born in Huntington. He won more than 30 championships over a seven-decade career and is considered one of the best amateur players in history.

May 6, 1812: Activist and physician Martin Robison Delany was born in Charles Town.  In February 1865, he was commissioned as a major in the U.S. Colored Troops. He was the only African-American Civil War officer to be given a field command.

May 6, 1968: A continuous miner machine at the Gauley Coal & Coke Saxsewell No. 8 mine cut into an adjacent mine, which was filled with water. The resulting flood drowned four miners and trapped 21 others.

May 6, 1968: Newspaper publisher John S. Knight received the Pulitzer Prize for his long record of service and his series of columns opposing the Vietnam War.

May 7, 1824: Logan County was created by the Virginia General Assembly from parts of Giles, Tazewell, Cabell, and Kanawha counties. The county seat was first known as Lawnsville, then Aracoma, and finally Logan.

May 7, 1857: William Alexander MacCorkle was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, on his father’s plantation. He served as West Virginia’s ninth governor.

May 7, 1928: The Keith-Albee Theater opened in Huntington. The opening program featured a comedy called ‘‘Good Morning, Judge,’’ a newsreel, and five stage acts. But the theater itself, with its elaborate interior, clearly was the star of the evening.

May 7, 1983: The New River Gorge National River began operations when the first visitor center opened near Fayetteville.

May 8, 1864: Clarence Wayland Watson was born in Fairmont. Watson was a prominent coal baron and served in the U.S. Senate from 1911 to 1913.

May 8, 1998: Senator Jennings Randolph died at the age of 96. He was first elected to Congress in 1932 and served for 40 years.

e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.  For more information, contact the West Virginia Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301; (304) 346-8500; or visit e-WV at www.wvencyclopedia.org.

Featured

SHOPS & SERVICES

Buckhannon City Council approves $6.5 million-dollar budget prioritizing public safety, infrastructure

BUCKHANNON – City council passed the largest budget in Buckhannon’s history Tuesday, with the two largest allocations once again earmarked for public safety operations and infrastructure maintenance, respectively. At its March 14 meeting – rescheduled from March 16 due to […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Police arrest man they say was the driver in 2022 pursuit that ended in a wreck with two people ejected

BUCKHANNON – A Rock Cave man was arrested for allegedly fleeing from police officers in a vehicle, injuring himself and a passenger. Elijah Carpenter, 27, of Rock Cave was arrested Thursday for fleeing from an officer and fleeing or attempting […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

SHOPS & SERVICES

Lacrosse Bucs fall late to John Marshall, 12-11

TENNERTON – The Buckhannon-Upshur boy’s lacrosse team let one get away from against the John Marshall Monarchs Saturday night at Freal “Red” Crites Memorial Stadium. The Bucs led 9-7 going into the final quarter but couldn’t maintain the lead dropping […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Big 10 Boy’s All-Conference Basketball Team announced

TENNERTON – The Big 10 Boy’s All-Conference Basketball Team was announced on Monday as voted on by the league coaches. Fairmont Senior’s Zycheus Dobbs was named the Conference Player of the Year. Dobbs led the

Upshur County Sports Calendar

MONDAY (March 20) Baseball Softball Tennis TUESDAY (March 21) Baseball Softball Tennis WEDNESDAY (March 22) Lacrosse Tennis THURSDAY (March 23) Baseball Lacrosse Softball Tennis FRIDAY (March 24) Baseball Lacrosse Tennis Track and Field SATURDAY (March

WVWC Track - Wesleyan Sports

Wesleyan track and field teams find success at WVU meet

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan men’s and women’s track & field teams competed at West Virginia University this weekend at the Stan Romanoski Open. The Bobcats had five individual event winners and one

SHOPS & SERVICES

Fairmont State University selects 2023 Presidential Scholarship winners

Three incoming Fairmont State University freshmen have been selected as the recipients of Fairmont State’s premier academic scholarship, the Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship. Sophie Stuart from Jefferson High School (Charles town, W.VA), Hailey Jordan

WVDEP hosting students on World Water Day

CHARLESTON, WV – In an effort to enrich students’ understanding of the importance of clean water, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) is hosting a water education event for area grade schools on