America 250: Wheeling’s Independence Hall marks birthplace of West Virginia

West Virginia remains the only state to have seceded from another in U.S. history, with its journey to independence rooted in the Northern Panhandle.

Deep within the walls of West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling runs a decision that changed Virginia’s history forever.

In the 1860s, Western Virginia lawmakers were not on the same page as those in Richmond — and sought out to become a separate state.

And that’s where Independence Hall plays a part.

“Wheeling was the second largest city in the state of Virginia at the time, and it needed a custom house that was service to the Ohio River because Wheeling was a port of delivery,” Independence Hall site manager Debbie Jones said.

Considerably the most famous area in the building is the third-floor courtroom. There, Gov. Harrison Pierpont signed the state’s constitution in 1862.

Along the way, though, leaders first considered another name: Kanawha.

“And they decided most people don’t know how to say it, let alone spell it, so they decided to keep the name of the mother state, which was Virginia,” Jones said.

So, West Virginia was born.

On June 20, 1863, the Mountain State seceded from Virginia and embarked on its own journey.

Jones says with a new state, came a new culture — a culture that began in Wheeling.

“I always say West Virginia, we don’t have beaches, we don’t have professional sports teams, amusement parks, but we have us. We have our people,” she said.

Today, Independence Hall tries to preserve the power that it holds, from hosting political events to the state’s history bowl and its annual birthday celebration on West Virginia Day.

“Come on down and see what’s in your own backyard,” Jones encouraged. It’s the only birthplace of the state of West Virginia.”