Ready for some Mountain State trivia? West Virginia has been the birthplace of many ideas and inventions. Here are just a few things West Virginia did first. How many of these West Virginia firsts did you already know about?

1. We were the first state to implement a state sales tax.
Tracy O/Flickr
That happened on July 1, 1921.
2. We're the first and only state formed by seceding from a Confederate state.
Samuel Augustus Mitchell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
We of course seceded from Virginia and officially became a state on June 20, 1863.
3. A WVU player was the first woman to dunk a basketball during a college game.
West Virginia University
That honor went to Georgeann Wells in 1984.

Watch Georgeann Wells make history in this video showing the build up to her game changing feat:
4. Our Memorial Tunnel was the first to be monitored by television.
Pub. by The A. W. Smith News Agency, Charleston, W. Va. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Land that became part of West Virginia was where the first land battle of the Civil War took place.
Unknown artist Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
That happened in Philippi, W.Va.
6. One of our streets was the first to be paved with bricks.
vxla/Flickr
The first brick road in America was Summers Street in Charleston. Engineer Mordicai Levi paved it in 1870. (Note: this isn't Summer Street).

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7. The first black woman to serve in a U.S. government body served here.
Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Minnie Harper Buckingham, of McDowell County, was appointed to fill her husband’s unexpired term in the state House of Delegates in 1928.

Watch this news clip talking about the historic moment in US and West Virginia history when Minnie Harper Buckingham was appointed to the House of Delegates in 1928:
8. Mothers' Day was first celebrated here.
Brian M. Powell, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
It was first celebrated at Andrews Church in Grafton on May 10, 1908.
9. West Virginia native Chuck Yeager was the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
U.S. Air Force photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
That happened on October 14, 1947.
10. The Oakhurst Links was the nation's first golf course.
Oakhurst Links Golf Course/Facebook
The golf course is located in White Sulphur Springs.
11. A West Virginian is credited with starting Grandparents Day.
David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Marian McQuade of Oak Hill started the holiday.

Learn more about how Marian McQuade helped found Grandparents Day in this video from Miss Robin Name:
12. Outdoor advertising began in West Virginia
Roseohioresident, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
It got its start with Mail Pouch tobacco ads on the sides of barns and businesses.

West Virginia has a rich political and cultural history and has played an important role in our nation’s founding and nurturing since the very beginning. These examples are just a few West Virginia firsts. Can you think of anything else West Virginia was first at? Share your ideas and stories with a comment.

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More West Virginia firsts

Chris Muras | June 11, 2023

What are some inventions from West Virginia?

West Virginia has been the first to do many things, that includes plenty of technological advancements and inventions. Here are a few inventions from West Virginia that have made our lives easier or more interesting:

  • Rural Free Delivery: Long before the United States Postal Service became what it is today, West Virginia became the first state to offer mail services to those living in rural areas. Before that everyone had to make the trek to a major city in order to get their mail.
  • The soda fountain: In 1833 two men claimed the patent for the very first soda fountain. One of the men, George Dulty, was from Wheeling, West Virginia. (The other was Jacob Ebert of Cadiz, Ohio) This invention is so common today that most of us have not even considered its origin. The very first soda fountains were installed in pharmacies, restaurants, and resorts.
  • Pepperoni rolls: Some may say this unique invention ranks right up there with space exploration. If you love this iconic West Virginian treasure you'll need to thank Giuseppe Argiro. He was an Italian immigrant who worked in the Clarksburg mines in 1920. He invented these delicious portable bites as an easy way to enjoy a quick snack while working.
  • The nation's first public spa: Even before West Virginia officially became a state it was inventing new concepts. Berkley Springs began the first spa in 1776 which was open to the public. You can still enjoy some special treatment to this day.

 

For more information about many of these and a few more, read about even more West Virginia inventions in this article.

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