Dr. Ben Bankhurst is the director of the Center for Appalachian Studies at Shepherdstown University and the Ray and Madeleine Professor of American History.
Dr. Ben Bankhurst
West Virginia’s Farm-to-Table dinner series returns with scenic feasts, local flavor
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The highly anticipated Farm-to-Table Dinner Series...
Coopers Rock State Forest in W.Va. doubles number of campsites
BRUCETON MILLS, W.Va. — Twenty-five new campsites have been...
West Virginia unveils daily one-mile trail program in 32 state parks
BEAVER, W.Va. — To encourage West Virginians to walk...
Pinnacle Rock geologic marvel in West Virginia part of larger formation
BRAMWELL, W.Va. — Towering above the valley of the...
Tu-Endie-Wei in W.Va. added to Underground Railroad network
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Tu-Endie-Wei State Park has been...
Wild and Wonderful: A journey through West Virginia’s most beautiful places
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There's a reason West Virginia is...
Splash into Fun: The Six Best Waterparks in West Virginia (2025 Guide)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s natural beauty is world-famous,...
The best East Coast stargazing? Discover West Virginia dark-sky wonders
MOUNT ZION, W.Va. — If you’re searching for the...
The Guyandotte River rediscovered as a destination for angling, paddling
GUYANDOTTE, W.Va. — Rivers in West Virginia have gained...
West Virginia leads the nation in deer-vehicle collisions
DEERWALK, W.Va. — Vehicle collisions with deer in West...
Park Service releases finding on demos of historic structures in New River Gorge
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — The National Park Service has...
Sandstone Falls emerges as a must-see destination in the New River Gorge
SANDSTONE, W.Va. — Sandstone Falls, one of the most...
A hidden parkway travels beneath the New River Gorge Bridge in W.Va.
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Nearly all who cross the towering...
Organizations join forces to apprehend New River Gorge vandals
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — Two organizations in West Virginia...
Grandview panoramas showcase New River Gorge at its widest, deepest
SHADY SPRING, W.Va. — Perched more than 1,400 feet...
The eastern panhandle of West Virginia: how it came to be
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — The eastern panhandle of West Virginia...
Unique northern panhandle of West Virginia created by historic dispute
WEIRTON, W.Va — West Virginia's remarkable shape is partly...
August in West Virginia: When mountain customs come home
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — August in West Virginia is a...
Wild and Wonderful: A journey through West Virginia’s most beautiful places
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There's a reason West Virginia is...
Historic West Virginia heat waves and how the state can recover its coolness
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — While known for its forests and...
West Virginia’s Farm-to-Table dinner series returns with scenic feasts, local flavor
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The highly anticipated Farm-to-Table Dinner Series...
Coopers Rock State Forest in W.Va. doubles number of campsites
BRUCETON MILLS, W.Va. — Twenty-five new campsites have been...
West Virginia unveils daily one-mile trail program in 32 state parks
BEAVER, W.Va. — To encourage West Virginians to walk...
Pinnacle Rock geologic marvel in West Virginia part of larger formation
BRAMWELL, W.Va. — Towering above the valley of the...
Tu-Endie-Wei in W.Va. added to Underground Railroad network
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Tu-Endie-Wei State Park has been...
Wild and Wonderful: A journey through West Virginia’s most beautiful places
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There's a reason West Virginia is...
Splash into Fun: The Six Best Waterparks in West Virginia (2025 Guide)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s natural beauty is world-famous,...
The best East Coast stargazing? Discover West Virginia dark-sky wonders
MOUNT ZION, W.Va. — If you’re searching for the...
The Guyandotte River rediscovered as a destination for angling, paddling
GUYANDOTTE, W.Va. — Rivers in West Virginia have gained...
West Virginia leads the nation in deer-vehicle collisions
DEERWALK, W.Va. — Vehicle collisions with deer in West...
Park Service releases finding on demos of historic structures in New River Gorge
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — The National Park Service has...
Sandstone Falls emerges as a must-see destination in the New River Gorge
SANDSTONE, W.Va. — Sandstone Falls, one of the most...
A hidden parkway travels beneath the New River Gorge Bridge in W.Va.
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Nearly all who cross the towering...
Organizations join forces to apprehend New River Gorge vandals
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — Two organizations in West Virginia...
Grandview panoramas showcase New River Gorge at its widest, deepest
SHADY SPRING, W.Va. — Perched more than 1,400 feet...
The eastern panhandle of West Virginia: how it came to be
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — The eastern panhandle of West Virginia...
Unique northern panhandle of West Virginia created by historic dispute
WEIRTON, W.Va — West Virginia's remarkable shape is partly...
August in West Virginia: When mountain customs come home
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — August in West Virginia is a...
Wild and Wonderful: A journey through West Virginia’s most beautiful places
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There's a reason West Virginia is...
Historic West Virginia heat waves and how the state can recover its coolness
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — While known for its forests and...
West Virginia Explorer Webzine is an online publication that celebrates the Mountain State's rich culture and natural beauty. Readers enjoy travel tips, hidden gems, outdoor adventures, local lore, and community news. For more than a quarter century, we've been the No. 1 trusted guide for exploring West Virginia.
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Bells at Concord University in W.Va. linked to strange phenomenon
ATHENS, W.Va. — Farmers in the countryside near Concord...
Three little-known facts about West Virginia's moundbuilders
The term “moundbuilder” is often used to describe two...
Some mysterious W.Va. rock features may have sacred origins
Editor's Note: If you're familiar with the outdoors in...
The tale of Cale Betts's ghost still haunts the Calhoun County night
GRANTSVILLE, W.Va. — Nights in rural Calhoun County are...
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