1861 – 1st land skirmish (at Philippi) of the Civil War
1863 – 1st state formed by seceding from a Confederate state
1870 – 1st brick road in America
1884 – 1st U.S. gold course
1891 – 1st tobacco ads painted on barns
1896 – 1st rural free mail delivery
1921 – 1st state to implement sales tax
1921 – 1st 4-H camp
1928 – 1st black female (Minnie Buckingham Harper) to serve in a legislative body in U.S.
1954 – 1st U.S. tunnel monitored by television
1961 – 1st 1st house built solely of coal
1978 – 1st state to promote Grandparents Day
1984 – 1st college basketball game in which a female dunked a ball
