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 Route 598 West Virginia Route 598 West Virginia Route 598 is a v-shaped state highway located entirely within Bluefield, West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at the Virginia state line (and southern city limits of Bluefield), where WV 598 continues southward as Virginia State Route 598. The northern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 52 in Bluefield. WV 598 is a former alignment of US 21 and US 52, the latter of which now runs through the East River Mountain Tunnel with I-77. From its southern terminus at SR 598, WV 598 runs to the south-southwest for