<P> West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions of 1861 , after the American Civil War had begun . Delegates from some Unionist counties of northwestern Virginia decided to break away from Virginia , although they included many secessionist counties in the new state . West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20 , 1863 , and was a key border state during the war . West Virginia was the only state to form by separating from a Confederate state , the first to separate from any state since Maine separated from Massachusetts , and was one of two states admitted to the Union during the American Civil War ( the other being Nevada ) . While a portion of its residents held slaves , most of the residents were yeomen farmers , and the delegates provided for gradual abolition of slavery in the new state constitution . </P>
<P> West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions of 1861 , after the American Civil War had begun . Delegates from some Unionist counties of northwestern Virginia decided to break away from Virginia , although they included many secessionist counties in the new state . West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20 , 1863 , and was a key border state during the war . West Virginia was the only state to form by separating from a Confederate state , the first to separate from any state since Maine separated from Massachusetts , and was one of two states admitted to the Union during the American Civil War ( the other being Nevada ) . While a portion of its residents held slaves , most of the residents were yeomen farmers , and the delegates provided for gradual abolition of slavery in the new state constitution . </P>
when was west virginia admitted to the union
when was west virginia admitted to the union
June 20 , 1863
June 20 , 1863