In 1971, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known by its operational name, Amtrak, was created to use federal funding to aid declining passenger rail service throughout the United States. For West Virginia, one of the railroad lines incorporated into the new Amtrak system was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which traversed the eastern panhandle and northern regions of the state. However, when Amtrak’s operation of this line began in the spring of 1971, service west of Martinsburg (located in the eastern panhandle of the state) was discontinued. 

The timber industry has played an important role in the economy and culture of West Virginia throughout much of its history. In the early-19th century, the hardwood forests of the Allegheny Mountains supported the cutting of timber for building construction and the production of charcoal. Later in the century, the production of paper from wood pulp became a major driver in the state's economy. However, by the 20th century, the market for the timber products exported from West Virginia was changing. At the same time, the environmental impacts of over a century of extensive cutting were also becoming evident.

​May is Historic Preservation Month, a celebration of the role historic places play in our communities, economy, and culture. Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act in 1966, providing a framework and incentives to preserve historic buildings and sites, such as the National Register of Historic Places and State Historic Preservation Offices. Preservation Month was created in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Research institutions, state and local historical societies, civic organizations, and other groups mark the month by promoting the benefits historic preservation projects can bring to their communities. 

​Senator Byrd believed in the benefits historic preservation could bring to West Virginia's economy and culture. Throughout his career, he worked to increase support for existing historic preservation sites and worked to gain recognition for new ones. These projects included the expansion of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in the state's eastern panhandle and the creation of the New River Gorge National River which led to the preservation of the town of Thurmond in Fayette County. One of Senator Byrd's later preservation projects was the creation of the Wheeling National Heritage Area in West Virginia's northern panhandle.

By Jody Brumage
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Ascending to a height of 4,863 feet, Spruce Knob is the tallest mountain peak in the state of West Virginia as well as the highest summit of the Allegheny Mountain Range. Located in Pendleton County, West Virginia, Spruce Knob has been a popular scenic attraction for hiking and other recreational activities since its inclusion in the Monongahela National Forest in 1920. Senator Byrd recognized early in his career in Congress that Spruce Knob offered great potential for West Virginia’s tourism industry.

​By Jody Brumage

The Huntington Herald-Dispatch published an editorial on October 11, 1977 on the tenth anniversary of the collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. However, the editorial was more than a remembrance of the 46 people who died in the accident. The paper lamented the deteriorated state of Huntington’s Sixth Street Bridge and penned the concerns of many area residents who feared a similar tragedy in their own community.
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Harold E. Burdick, publisher of the Herald-Dispatch sent a copy of the editorial to Senator Robert C. Byrd who replied on October 14, 1977, relaying that he had directed his staff to check with the State Department of Highways who had confirmed that though the bridge was under weight restrictions, it was considered safe and not in imminent risk of failure.

​Huntington residents did not have such confidence in the durability of the bridge. Poor drainage from the bridge deck hastened the deterioration of the structure, leaving gaps and cracks which people drove and walked over daily crossing the Ohio River. The bridge had also been operating under weight restrictions since 1969 when signs were posted prohibiting vehicles carrying more than 12 tons. This prohibition meant that trucks carrying coal could not use the span, limiting that traffic to a bridge on the southern side of the city.

By Jody Brumage

Ken Hechler, a veteran of World War II, staff assistant to President Harry Truman, member of the United States House of Representatives, and West Virginia Secretary of State died this past Saturday, December 10, 2016. As people across the state reflect on the life of Congressman Hechler, we are reflecting on his role in West Virginia’s congressional delegation and his leadership in over thirty years of public service.

Born in 1914 in New York, Hechler attended Swarthmore College and Columbia University, receiving a PhD from the latter in history and government. During World War II, Hechler served as the combat historian for the European Theater of Operations, chronicling the lib-

By Jody Brumage

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson traveled to Summersville, West Virginia to dedicate a new dam and reservoir on the Gauley River. The Summersville Dam is the second-largest rock-fill dam in the eastern United States at 390 feet in height and 2,280 feet in length. The adjoining reservoir forms the largest lake in West Virginia. However, the project represents much more to the history of the state than its technical achievements.​

By Jody Brumage

Senator Robert C. Byrd participated in countless dedications, groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings, and other similar ceremonies during his half-century of service in the United States Senate. Many of these events are recounted in photographs, documents, and objects that are now preserved in the collections at the Byrd Center. One such series of photographs illustrate the dedication of the visitors center at Seneca Rocks, one of West Virginia's most widely-known natural landmarks. The rocks were included in the first National Recreation Area created in the United States, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. Over a decade later, Senator Byrd journeyed to Pendleton County to dedicate the new visitors center in 1978. The experience was one of the most unforgettable dedications the senator attended in his career. 

By Jody Brumage

Throughout Senator Byrd's fifty-one years in the United States Senate, one constant issue to which he devoted great attention was the difficult life faced by the state's coal miners. For decades, West Virginians employed in the mines faced significant challenges including poor safety standards, insufficient pay, and lack of disability benefits, including any aid for victims of black lung. These issues further compounded an already dangerous job, brought to light in many disasters that took place throughout the Appalachian Coalfields, including the Farmington, WV mine explosion of 1968 which killed 78 miners. In the wake of the disaster, Senator Byrd seized the opportunity to improve conditions for miners and obtain increased federal aid and oversight over the coal industry.