Bob Powell

Daniel B. Purinton died in Morgantown on November 27, 1933. A native of Preston County, he was one of West Virginia University’s early graduates. He earned a bachelor of arts from the school in 1873 and a master of arts in 1876. He later received a doctorate from the University of Nashville.

Ned Chilton was born on November 26, 1921. Chilton served four terms in the state House of Delegates in the 1950s. He made his biggest political splash, however, after becoming publisher of the Charleston Gazette newspaper in 1961.

Sculptor Gladys Tuke was born in Pocahontas County on November 19, 1899. In the 1930s she took up residency at The Greenbrier resort’s Art Colony and became well known for her sculptures of horses. During World War Two, Tuke taught sculpture and pottery to soldiers who were recovering at The Greenbrier.

Educator Elsie Clapp was born on November 13, 1879, in Brooklyn Heights. She was influenced by progressive educator John Dewey, who believed that schools should have a direct impact on the communities they serve.

When Henry Schmulbach was a child, he and his family immigrated to Wheeling from Germany. By the time he was a young adult, Schmulbach had become one of the city’s most successful businessmen, selling retail groceries and wholesale liquor.

On November 10, 1817, Kanawha County salt operators entered into a unique business arrangement that would set the stage for major industries in the late 1800s. Salt was an essential product in early American history. In the early 1800s, Kanawha County became the salt-producing capital of the nation.

On November 6, 1863, one of the most important Civil War battles in West Virginia occurred in Pocahontas County. Union General William W. Averell launched a raid, to trap Confederate troops around Lewisburg.

Alfred Earle Neale was born in Parkersburg on November 5, 1891. As a youth, he excelled at virtually every sport.

The first Mountain State Forest Festival began in Elkins on October 30, 1930. Since then, it has been held every October except for the years 1941 to 1949. The festival was intended to attract tourists to the region, which is known for its hardwood trees and dazzling fall colors.

On October 29, 1861, Confederate commander Robert E. Lee departed present-day West Virginia, near the end of his ill-fated western Virginia campaign. The rest of his Civil War career would rank Lee among the greatest generals in history. However, his first campaign was a total calamity.

The New River Gorge Bridge was dedicated in Fayette County before a crowd of 30,000 on this day in 1977. Throughout history, transportation across the rugged gorge has been a challenge. Its 1,700-foot arch made it the longest single-span arch bridge in the world.

The entertainer known as Dagmar died on October 9, 2001. In the 1950s, she was one of the most recognizable faces on television and even graced the cover of Life magazine. Born Virginia Ruth Egnor in Logan County in 1921, she moved with her family to Huntington, where she attended Huntington High School.

Harman Blennerhassett was born in London on October 8, 1764. He and his wife Margaret immigrated to the United States in 1796. Two years later, they settled on an island in the Ohio River near Parkersburg. In 1800, they built an immense mansion on what would become known as Blennerhassett Island.

One of West Virginia’s most important labor leaders was born in Dunbar on October 2, 1924. Before his untimely death at age 49, Miles Stanley would become one of a major AFL-CIO leader and use his influential position to urge the Appalachian region to develop a more skilled workforce.

In 1896, the nation’s first Rural Free Delivery, known as RFD, was introduced in West Virginia. Prior to this, people in rural areas didn’t have access to mail delivery. To get their mail, farm families had to travel to a town, which, in some cases, could be an all-day trip. And more than half the country’s 76 million people lived on farms.