West Virginia Day: Celebrating the Birth of the Mountain State

Friday, June 20, isn’t only the first day of summer—it’s West Virginia Day, a statewide holiday honoring the day in 1863 when West Virginia became the 35th state in the Union. The road to statehood was anything but simple. Here’s the story behind the state’s quest for statehood, the holiday, its legal status, and why West Virginia Day still matters today.

A State Born Out of Conflict

West Virginia’s creation emerged from the turmoil of the Civil War. When Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861, delegates from the western counties—who insisted on preserving the Union, or opposed slavery, or simply resented Richmond’s dominance—refused to follow what was then their state capital’s lead. Instead, they formed their own government in Wheeling and began their long process of carving out a new state.

The Civil War accelerated the drive toward statehood for West Virginia, but western grievances against eastern Virginia and the capital had long run deep. In 1860, only five of the 132 state legislators came from western counties, according to Mark A. Snell, a former professor of history at Shepherd University. Further, the general sentiment among western Virginians was that they were paying high taxes for eastern Virginia’s infrastructure, like canals, that barely served their communities.

Before Statehood Was Won, Western Virginians Were Done

“Why should the people of North Western Virginia allow themselves to be dragged into the rebellion inaugurated by ambitious and heartless men, who have banded themselves to destroy a government formed for you and your patriot fathers, and which has secured to you all the liberties consistent with the nature of man, and has, for near three-fourths of a century, sheltered you in sunshine and in storm, made you the admiration of the civilized world?”
— Proceedings of the First Convention of the People of Northwestern Virginia at Wheeling, May 1861.

Well, the quick answer is that this area avoided being dragged into the wider Civil War, except for some battles and skirmishes during the first several months of the conflict: the battles at Philippi, Rich Mountain, Carnifex Ferry, and Cheat Mountain. The largest battle, at Droop Mountain in November 1863, ended the final Confederate attempts at controlling West Virginia.

Meanwhile, the momentum for statehood kept growing, starting with an October 1861 meeting at which delegates from 39 Virginia counties discussed starting the process of forming their own state. A second convention in Wheeling further pushed for a new state, which was to be called Kanawha; leaders soon settled on naming it West Virginia.

Wait: Could West Virginia Legally Become a State?

There was one hiccup: Under Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, new states could not be formed out of a current state “without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States.”

President Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet was split on whether West Virginia could legally become a separate state. But the president’s perspective was that since Virginia had seceded from the Union, neither its government nor voters had a say in the matter.

“The division of a State is dreaded as a precedent. But a measure made expedient by a war is no precedent for times of peace,” argued Lincoln, adding, “We can scarcely dispense with the aid of West-Virginia in this struggle; much less can we afford to have her against us.”

After two years of political maneuvering (and a requirement that West Virginia adopt gradual emancipation of its slaves), President Lincoln signed the statehood bill on December 31, 1862. On June 20, 1863, West Virginia officially entered the Union.

How West Virginia Day Became Law

The holiday was first celebrated informally in the late 1800s but was officially codified in West Virginia Code §2-2-1 (originally established in 1927), which designates June 20 as:

“a day dedicated to the commemoration of the state’s history and achievements … to be observed by appropriate ceremonies in the public schools and elsewhere.”

State offices and many businesses across West Virginia close, and cities and towns across the state mark the day with parades, historical reenactments, and educational programs focused on the state’s history.

Today, the holiday blends celebration and reflection—acknowledging the state’s complex past while honoring its rugged independence. The long path culminating in what we now celebrate as West Virginia Day offers lessons in federal vs. state power, the Mountain State’s Appalachian identity, and the unique circumstances that led to establishing the 35th state in the Union more than 150 years ago.

Looking for ideas on how to celebrate West Virginia Day near Elkins?

• The West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games, which showcase one enduring facet of the state’s diverse culture and history, starts the evening of June 20 at Camp Pioneer in nearby Beverly.
• Canaan Valley Resort has its own West Virginia Days celebrations, including Civil War reenactments.
• Of course, the short drive to Seneca Rocks from Elkins offers a panoramic reminder of West Virginia’s unique landscape and history—for example, it was the training location of the “Cliff-Scaling Soldiers” during World War II.

As we celebrate this year, it’s worth remembering both the determination that made West Virginia possible—and the unique place it holds in U.S. history.