West Virginia admitted as 35th U.S. state
- When
- 1861–1863
- Where
- Western Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Place of admission act not specified in sources (legacy row cites Charleston, West Virginia); West Virginia
- Episodes
- 4
West Virginia was admitted as the 35th U.S. state on June 20, 1863, following a split from Virginia during the Civil War. The process involved the Restored Government of Virginia, a constitutional convention, and President Lincoln's approval of an enabling act requiring gradual abolition of slavery. Arthur I. Boreman became the first governor.
Episodes
- Formation of the Restored Government
Western counties established a separate government under Francis Pierpont in 1861, setting the stage for statehood.
- Lincoln's Enabling Act
President Lincoln approved an enabling act in December 1862 requiring gradual abolition of slavery.
- Election of First Governor
Arthur I. Boreman was elected as the first governor of West Virginia in 1863.
- Admission to the Union
West Virginia was admitted as the 35th U.S. state on June 20, 1863.
Background and detail
Background. Following Virginia's secession in 1861, western counties refused to follow, leading to the formation of the Restored Government. A constitutional convention began in November 1861, and the resulting instrument was ratified in April 1862. The Restored Government's General Assembly approved the formation of the new state on May 13, 1862.
Enabling Act and Constitutional Revision. President Lincoln approved an enabling act on December 31, 1862, requiring the gradual abolition of slavery in the constitution. The convention reconvened in February 1863 to meet this demand. The revised constitution was adopted on March 26, 1863, leading to Lincoln's proclamation admitting the state 60 days later.
Admission and Governance. West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863. Arthur I. Boreman, a Unionist who helped found the state, was elected as the first governor. The state capital was initially located in Wheeling from 1863 to 1870.
People involved
- Abraham Lincoln · President of the United States
- Arthur I. Boreman · First Governor of West Virginia
Sources
- West Virginia Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
- Admission to the Union Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-26
- Arthur I. Boreman Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-17
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.