The story of West Virginia’s first state song

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — Many West Virginians know that “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver is the state’s official song. However, West Virginia technically has four state songs, and Country Roads was not the first.

Despite its popularity, Country Roads was actually the latest to be added, only being officiated on March 7, 2014. Before that, there was “This Is My West Virginia” by Iris Bell in 1963, which was also named the official Centennial Song of West Virginia .

As for the first song, there is a bit of confusion. “The West Virginia Hills” by Ellen Ruddell King and Henry Everett Engle was completed in 1885, but those who made it official in 1961 forgot that there was already a state song.

“West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home” by Col. Julian G. Hearne, Jr. was made the first official state song on March 3, 1947 .

Hearne, born in 1904 , was an attorney in Wheeling before he joined the army in 1941. During his time in WWII, he took to writing musical compositions, which would eventually lead him to writing West Virginia’s first state song. Hearne died in 1995.

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