Did you know there are many world records that are held in West Virginia?

There are a lot of things West Virginia is known for, but here are some we bet you haven’t heard of before. This list also includes some incredible state records that are held by Mountain State residents. If you’re a fan of fun facts about West Virginia, here are some world records that just might shock you:

1) West Virginia's Biggest Blue Catfish
Game and Fish Magazine
Austin Hoffman of West Virginia caught this massive 52.95 pound, 47.75-inch long blue catfish on the Ohio River on April 26, 2014. Good thing he's got the photo to prove it because a nearly four-foot whopper sounds like a real fish story!
2) World's Smallest Chicken Egg
World Record Academy
Donnie Russell found an egg that was just 2.1 cm long, roughly the size of a penny, weighing in at only 3.46 grams.
3) Most Fireball Shots Served In One Night
m01229 Flickr
Students from West Virginia University hold the world record for most Fireball shots taken in one night at Fat Daddy's Bar in Morgantown, WV. Over 4,200 shots were served in a single evening. No wonder they have a reputation as a party school!
4) Most Pepperoni Rolls Eaten
Brandy Overbee Pinterest
If there's one thing West Virginians love, it's their pepperoni rolls! In 2012, Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti ate 33 pepperoni rolls which broke the previous world record - that he also set - at the 3 Rivers Festival in West Virginia.
5) World's Largest Sycamore Tree
Jenny Downing Flickr
The world's largest sycamore tree is located near the Elk River in Webster Springs, WV. It's an incredible 117 feet tall.

Related Stories

Escape To The Country When You Spend The Night On A Working West Virginia Farm

Escape To The Country When You Spend The Night On A Working West Virginia Farm

 This Mid-Century Modern West Virginia Motel Was Just Dubbed Having The Best Vintage Style

This Mid-Century Modern West Virginia Motel Was Just Dubbed Having The Best Vintage Style

 We Love Visiting This Underrated Roadside Waterfall Cove In West Virginia

We Love Visiting This Underrated Roadside Waterfall Cove In West Virginia
6) National Record Set at 135 Points in a Basketball Game
Rob Buenaventura Flickr
In 1960, Danny Heater from Burnsville, WV scored an amazing 135 points in a high school basketball game.
7) Most Coal Produced From a Long-Wall Plow
Dennis Church Flickr
In 2012, Pinnacle Mine, which is located near Pineville, WV, set a world record of 32,430 tons of raw coal production from a long-wall plow during a 24-hour course.
8) Smallest Church in the Nation
Jon Dawson Flickr
Our Lady of the Pines, located in Silver Lake, WV, is the smallest church in the continental U.S. It's just 12 feet by 24 feet and also doubles as a post office!

You can take a virtual tour of the church at the Visit Mountaineer Country tourism site.
9) Longest Poker Game in the World
mouton.rebelle Flickr
Thurmond, WV, which is now practically a ghost town, holds the world's longest poker game and is in the Guinness World Records book for it. The game went on for 14 years!
10) Oldest Base Jumper
Erik Weber Flickr
On October 19, 2013, Donald Cripps parachuted off of the 876-foot tall New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day. Cripps was 84 years old at the time and clearly wasn't interested in a peaceful retirement sitting in a rocking chair!

Aren’t these just amazing? We had no idea that there were such fascinating things going on right here in our great state.

We’re always up for learning more West Virginia fun facts, so share any tidbits of West Virginia trivia that you know about in the comments.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

west virginia fun facts

Lisa Sammons | April 27, 2021

What are some interesting bits of West Virginia trivia?

People often think of the Mountain State as quiet and unassuming, but we've got some real claims to fame! Did you know West Virginia is (by far) the highest state east of the Mississippi? How about that the city of Weirton is the only city whose borders extend into two states? The first federal prison institution for women was founded in Alderson. Read more interesting facts here.

What is the history of West Virginia?

West Virginia had an extremely interesting history before it even became a part of the United States of America. Read fascinating information about the formation of our unique land structure in this article. This one contains information on Native Americans that lived in the region long ago.

What are some unique quirks to residents of West Virginia?

Here's a list of undeniable ways you just know you're from West Virginia. And there are plenty of phrases that are unique to our area. We've got lots of advantages that the rest of the country just can't enjoy!

Related Articles