WEST VIRGINIA - West Virginia's entry into the United States is unique, a story forged in the crucible of the American Civil War. Before it became the 35th state in 1863, the region we now know as West Virginia did not have a separate colonial or territorial name.
WEST VIRGINIA - West Virginia's entry into the United States is unique, a story forged in the crucible of the American Civil War. Before it became the 35th state in 1863, the region we now know as West Virginia did not have a separate colonial or territorial name.Before the Mountain State: The Pre-Statehood Identity of West Virginia
Instead, its identity was intrinsically linked to its parent state, from which it dramatically separated.
A Part of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Before its statehood, the area that constitutes modern West Virginia was simply the western part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Residents of counties like Kanawha, Monongalia, and Ohio were Virginians governed by the laws and constitution of the state of Virginia. However, deep-seated differences between the mountainous western regions and the plantation-based eastern part of the state had been growing for decades.
The Seeds of Division
The primary driver of this division was the institution of slavery. The economy of western Virginia was based on small farms and nascent industry, with a much smaller population of enslaved people compared to the large, slave-dependent plantations in eastern Virginia. This led to significant political and cultural friction over issues of taxation, representation in the state legislature, and loyalty to the federal government.
The Civil War and the Proposed State of "Kanawha"
The breaking point came in 1861 when Virginia voted to secede from the Union. Delegates from the western counties, who largely held pro-Union sentiments, rejected this move. They met in Wheeling and formed a new, loyalist government.
As these Unionist Virginians moved to create their state, the first and most popular proposed name for this new entity was "Kanawha." This name was chosen to honor the Kanawha River, a significant waterway in the region, and the Kanawha Native American tribe, reflecting a desire to create a new identity distinct from that of "Virginia." Other names, such as "Allegheny" and "Vandalia," were also considered.
Becoming West Virginia
Despite the popularity of "Kanawha," the delegates ultimately chose the name "West Virginia." This name clearly and powerfully communicated the region's geographical location while signifying its political break from the Confederate state of Virginia. After a complex constitutional process, West Virginia was officially admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863.
So, what was West Virginia originally known as? Before its statehood in 1863, it was simply the western region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. During its formation, it was briefly and unofficially proposed to be the "State of Kanawha" before the final, historically significant name of "West Virginia" was adopted, forever tying its identity to its unique birth during the Civil War.
