Almost Heaven, West Virginia

June 20th is known as West Virginia Day within the state and is a state holiday because it iss WV's birthday and this year, the state is 151 years old. 

West Virginians have Francis H. Pierpont to thank for their state. Pierpont was from western Virginia, which had long wanted to separate from Virginia. Pierpont was a Republican and opposed Virginia's secession from the Union in 1861. 

Pierpont and other Unionists created the Provisional Government of Virginia, with Pierpont as the Governor, in Wheeling, Virginia. President Lincoln recognized Pierpont, his government and their new constitution as the Restored Government of Virginia. 

Pierpont took the opportunity to push Congress to approve the separation of Virginia and Western Virginia. The state of West Virginia was created in 1863 by breaking away from Virginia. Pierpont remained the governor of the Restored Government of Virginia while Arthur I. Boreman became the first governor of West Virginia. 

(Arthur I. Boreman)

Thanks to Pierpont, Country Roads is about West Virginia and not Virginia and now it is one of the official state songs.