By Mary Margaret Clouse, HD Media
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia celebrates its 161st birthday on June 20, 2024. West Virginia Day commemorates the date West Virginia was inaugurated as a state in 1863, making it the only state created as a result of the Civil War. Here are some events and activities to celebrate West Virginia Day.
Historic homes
The Craik-Patton House at 2809 Kanawha Blvd. E. in Charleston, the former home of George Washington’s personal physician and Colonel George S. Patton will provide refreshments and host tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Historic Glenwood Estate at 800 Orchard St. in Charleston will also have tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as live music on the estate’s antique square grand piano from Marjie Foster. The Glenwood Estate was the residence of George Summers, one of Virginia’s Congressmen before the Civil War and the creation of West Virginia.
The MacFarland-Hubbard House at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E. in Charleston will have an open house from 2-4 p.m. on June 20. The home, built in 1836, served as a field hospital for Union troops during the Civil War. The West Virginia Humanities Council and United Bank will host music from banjo player Kim Johnson and fiddle player Bobby Taylor, along with tours and refreshments. At 2:30 p.m., a living history presentation of Thomas Ingles, son of Mary Draper Ingles, will take place to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Dunmore’s War.
Local food
Try a pepperoni roll. The official state food of West Virginia, the pepperoni roll originated as a meal enjoyed by coal miners for its portability. Slices or sticks of pepperoni wrapped in dough and then baked, pepperoni rolls can be found almost anywhere in West Virginia, from gas stations to restaurants to grocery stores, where each has a different spin. The original pepperoni roll can be found at Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, where Giuseppe Argiro created the recipe back in the 1920s.
Hillbilly Hotdogs in Lesage was featured on The Food Network when Guy Fieri paid a visit on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.”
