West Virginia commemorates 150th anniversary of the Civil War

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War. The harrowing battle raged for four years, pitting brother against brother at the cost of more than 600,000 lives. Out of the war, however, there rose a new state, and the only created as a direct result of the war – West Virginia.

West Virginia is rich in Civil War heritage. History buffs will find much to interest them from the state’s Civil War-era towns, battlefields and cemeteries which have been integrated into driving and walking tours.

West Virginia, born of a nation divided, was the setting for the First Campaign of America’s Civil War.In 1863, the western counties under Union control became the new state of West Virginia.

The Civil War Trails is a multistate program that identifies, interprets and creates driving tours of Civil War sites. The program interprets more than 1,100 Civil War sites throughout West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee. In West Virginia, there are around 150 sites in development that will feature Civil War Trails program interpretive panels. The West Virginia Civil War Trails map is available from www.civilwarwv.com


To learn more about West Virginia events, sites, trails and re-enactments, visit www.civilwarwv.com or contact the UK West Virginia office on wv@attachecommunications.co.uk