West Virginia By cristian124252 1606 King James Grants charter that includes what is now West Virginia. 1731 Morgan ap Morgan becomes area's first white settler with cabin at Bunker Hill. 1747 George Washington surveys western Virginia land. 1863 West Virginia becomes the nation's 35th state. 1866 West Virginia won't reunite with Virginia at end of Civil war 1885 Capital is moved to Charleston, where it remains today 1915 U.S Supreme Court rules West Virginia owes Virginia debt from when it separated in 1863 1959 National Radio Astronomy Observatory begins 1965 West Virginia legislature passes environmental laws 2001 West Virginia enters the 21st century