When Virginia joined the Confederacy in 1861, several counties in Northwestern Virginia opted to remain loyal to the Union. The Wheeling Convention assembled representatives of those counties for the purpose of forming their own state, West Virginia. Nevada is the only other state admitted to the union during the Civil War.
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Didelphis virginiana - Although there are more than 100 species of opossums in the Americas, the common Virginia opossum is the only species found in the United States. It is the largest of the opossum family, growing to lengths of about 105 centimeters. The long tail is hairless and used for grabbing and holding onto branches. Their dentition, number of teeth and their placement, shows opossums having 50 teeth, more than any other North American mammal. Opossums also have an opposable thumb on each rear foot.
