1671: Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam discover waters flowing westward into the Ohio River and help establish English claims to the Ohio Valley
1731: Morgan Morgan establishes first settlement in present West Virginia near Bunker Hill in Berkeley County.
1784: James Rumsey exhibits his "mechanical boat" at Bath, West Virginia
1790: The first newspaper in what is now West Virginia, Potomac Guardian and Berkeley Advertiser, is established by Nathaniel Willis at Shepherdstown.
1850: Reform Convention is held at Richmond. Major concessions made to Western Virginia's able leaders who displayed talents later important to statehood movement.
1859: John Brown and twenty-two followers attack the United States Federal Arsenal at Harpers Ferry in an effort to incite a slave insurrection and to put an end to slavery.
1862: The first Constitution for the State was completed.
1862: On May 13, the (Restored) Virginia Legislature gave formal consent to the formation of a new State.
1862: On May 29, William T. Willey, United States Senator, presented a memorial to the United States Senate asking for the formation of a new State and requesting its admission to the Union.
1862: On December 31, President Lincoln signed the bill.
1863: On April 20, President Lincoln issued the Proclamation.
1863: On June 20, the State was admitted to the Union.
