West Virginia: Eastern Region

Fifteen nationally significant historical events in the Panhandle In Chronological Order

1.  George Washington purchases his first land on the Rock Hill tract along Bullskin Run south of what is now Charles Town in 1750—in 1760 he was elected from this area to serve in the Virginia legislature, his first political office.

2. The first spa in the country was opened in Berkeley Springs in 1756.

3.  1755--The Bee Line march started from Shepherdstown as the Eastern Panhandle became the first southern troops to join Washington’s Continental Army to join the fight for independence.

4.  James Rumsey first successfully demonstrated the steam boat on the Potomac River in Mecklenberg (now Shepherdstown) on Dec. 3, 1787,  Jefferson called Rumsey “the most brilliant and original, mechanical genius I have ever seen.”  A Rumsean Society was formed in Philadelphia to help fund Rumsey’s experiments, with Ben Franklin as its President.

5. Meriwether Lewis spent about five weeks from April-May 1803 at the federal Arsenal at Harpers Ferry to gather supplies which were used by Lewis and Clark for their infamous Lewis and Clark Expedition.

6. 1849—The National Hotel was opened in Martinsburg, serving as a hotel and train station.  It is believed to the oldest train station in America still in continuous use and is believed to contain several hotel rooms on the fourth floor which are the oldest unaltered hotel rooms in America.

7.  On October 16, 1859, John Brown and a band of abolitionists captured the federal Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, firing the first shots that eventually led to the Civil War.  Brown’s actions in attempting  to free the slaves, although a dismal failure at Harpers Ferry, are believe by many to be the opening actions that eventually led to achieving his goal, albeit long after he was hanged for the insurrection.

8. June 20, 1861.  Stonewall Jackson and his men destroyed about 386 railroad cars and stole another 42 engines owned by the B & O Railroad in Martinsburg in an act some historians believe helped determine that Maryland did not join the Confederacy, as the B & O Railroad was public property, being owned by the State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore.  

9. During the Civil War, Martin Robinson Delany of Charles Town became the first African American to receive a regular army commission.  He became a Major in the Union Army.

10. June 20, 1863—Statehood was granted to West Virginia as it split from Virginia.  It became the only state to be designated by Presidential Proclamation.

11.  July 16, 1877—The first rail strike in America occurred at the B & O railroad in Martinsburg, sparking a national strike.  This general strike led to the formation of labor unions in the country.

12. October 6, 1896—The first rural free mail delivery in the country was launched from the Post Office in Charles Town.

13.  Martinsburg attorney J. R. Clifford, represented black school teacher Carrie Williams in a lawsuit against the Board of Education of Tucker County.  This lawsuit, won by Williams, was the first ruling in the U.S. that determined that racial discrimination was illegal.

14.  August 15-19, 1906—Meetings held at Storer College in Harpers Ferry by the Niagara Movement were the beginning of the movement that led to the formation of the NAACP.

15.   The treason trial of coal miner William Blizzard was held in the courthouse in Charles Town.  This marked only the third treason trial ever held in the U.S. up to that time, with two being held at the Charles Town courthouse.  The first such trial was that of John Brown.