Ashes in History
West Virginia's Capitol floated between the northern and south-central regions of the state during its tumultuous 119-year history. Its current location along the north bank of the Kanawha River in Charleston was erected only after its former location two miles west on Capitol Street and Lee Street went up in flames in 1921.
Built in 1885, the picturesque downtown statehouse was the capitol's final move between Wheeling and Charleston. The state's capitol first located in Wheeling, 1863 moved to Charleston in 1870, then back again to Wheeling in 1875. Finally after a statewide vote it permanently moved to Charleston in 1885. Runners-up for the state capitol included Clarksburg and Martinsburg.
When the capitol moved from Wheeling on May 1, 1885, the state personages and properties embarked on steamers, the Chesapeake and the Bell Prince, with the barge Nick Crawley in tow. The downtown capitol, the fourth building used as the state government's official home, cost $389,923.58 to construct. The building occupied a block between Washington, Lee, Capitol and Dickinson Streets, and later extended to the corner of Hale and Lee Streets with the addition of the Capitol Annex.
On the afternoon of January 3, 1921, plumes of smoke were seen rising from the top of the capitol. Soon thousands of spectators, including Governor Cornwell who emerged from a side door, witnessed the complete destruction of the vine-clad building with a clock tower. Spectators were also treated to a rare display of fireworks, as thousands of rounds of ammunition, confiscated as a result of recent unrest in the coalfields, exploded among the surge of fueling flames.
Artifacts from the downtown capitol building can be found around the city even today. Wilson Funeral Home has the fence and yard lamps. The West Side Methodist Church has lamps as well. A home at 601 Fort Hill Drive, built by the Abbott family contains stone from the former capitol and a fountain from the structure stands at 1417 Virginia Street East.
Governor Cornwell's message to the Legislature just nine days after the devastating fire, and only weeks prior to the expiration of his term of office, spoke to the need for "erecting a building of modest size and of fitting design... to contain halls for two houses of the Legislature, a sufficient number of committee rooms, the governor's office and offices for the secretary of state and attorney general and then constructing a modern office building nearby to house all the boards and departments".
On January 7, 1924 the groundbreaking for the current capitol was held. The governor's mansion was built between 1924 and 1925.
Sources: West Virginia Legislature report "The Early Capitol Locations" and the West Virginia Inspection Bureau's Fire Report on Jan. 20, 1921
