West Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia. After Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861, the northwestern counties of Virginia loyal to the United States started the process which would ultimately create the State of West Virginia on June 20, 1863. Settling on a state capital location proved to be difficult. For several years, the capital of West Virginia shifted back and forth between Wheeling and Charleston. Other locations, including Martinsburg and Clarksburg were offered as alternatives. The state's citizens voted on the final location of their capital, Charleston, on August 7, 1877. From the state's inception in 1863, the legislature met in the
West Virginia State Society Award from the NCSS in 1977-78. West Virginia State Society The West Virginia State Society of Washington, D.C. (WVSS) was founded for those who live in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and have West Virginia connections. WVSS is a non-profit organization that hosts opportunities for West Virginians located in Washington, D.C. to gather, socialize, and create a strong identity in the city. Founded on September 12, 1914, the Society's first president was David W. Gall. Among the 78 original members were U.S. Senators, Nathan B. Scott and Davis Elkins. In 1939, State Societies began to coordinate events and in the