Wheeling Custom House

Wheeling Custom House. West Virginia Independence Hall. , In April 1861, as Virginia debated seceding from the Union, Governor John Letcher instructed Wheeling Mayor Andrew Sweeney to seize control of this building. Sweeney defied Letcher's orders and secured the building for the United States. In doing so he laid the ground for West Virginia statehood., Two months later, delegates from 34 counties met in the third-floor courtroom and convened the Second Wheeling Convention. They adopted a "Declaration of Rights," established the "Restored Government of Virginia," and declared themselves Virginia's legitimate government. Francis H. Peirpont was elected as governor. In early August, the delegates reconvened here and called for separation from Virginia., On December 31, 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed the West Virginia statehood bill. The following March, a revised constitution was adopted that called for slavery's gradual abolition. On June 20, 1863, West Virginia became the Union's 35th state, with Arthur Boreman elected as the state's first governor. The state capitol was relocated to nearby 1413 Eoff Street.,

"It is said that the admission of West Virginia is secession....There is still difference enough between secession against the Constitution and secession in favor of the Constitution. I believe the admission of West Virginia into the Union is expedient." , , Abraham Lincoln

, [Captions:] , Designed by Ammi B. Young, the first Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, the Renaissance Revival Custom House opened in 1859 and held the custom office, post office, and federal courthouse. West Virginia militia also used it as an arsenal during the Civil War., In June 1861, 100 delegates attended the convention in the Custom House to form a new West Virginia government. West Virginia was the only state to secede from a Confederate state.