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Bianca BosworthBianca Bosworth

Born in Charleston, Bianca Bosworth spent years traveling the world as a travel nurse and freelance writer. In 2009 she returned to West Virginia to pursue a career in writing and mountaineering. She now calls Putnam County near Charleston home. She can be reached at 304-575-7390 or bosworth@wvexplorer.com.
An aerial view of the historic Pence Springs Hotel in Summers County, W.Va., shows the former mineral springs resort surrounded by the forests and rolling hills that made it one of Appalachia's best-known mountain retreats. The 138-acre property is now being offered for sale through Foxfire Realty.
Lodging and Real Estate

One of America’s forgotten mineral springs resorts is for sale and awaiting its next chapter

by Bianca Bosworth

PENCE SPRINGS, W.Va. — Across the United States, historic hotels are finding new life. Grand railroad resorts have become boutique inns. Former sanatoriums have reopened as wellness retreats. Long-forgotten landmarks are being restored for a new generation of travelers seeking authentic stories rather than manufactured experiences. In the mountains of southern West Virginia, one of … Read more

A tourist photographs a historic home in the Middleway National Historic District in West Virginia.
Landmarks / Museums

National Trust joins legal fight over proposed plant near one of West Virginia’s oldest villages

by Bianca Bosworth

MIDDLEWAY, W.Va. — One of the nation’s leading historic preservation organizations has joined the legal battle over a proposed industrial water-extraction and bottling facility near one of West Virginia’s oldest villages, arguing that the project would irreparably damage a nationally recognized historic district and could weaken preservation protections statewide. The National Trust for Historic Preservation … Read more

A family watches an Independence Day fireworks display from a designated sensory-friendly viewing area while wearing hearing protection. More communities are adding quiet spaces, ear protection, and other accommodations to help people with autism, PTSD, and sensory sensitivities enjoy public celebrations. (WVExplorer Illustration)
Health and Medicine

West Virginia’s America250 celebration reflects trend to sensory-friendly Fourth of July events

by Bianca Bosworth

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As thousands gathered at the West Virginia state capitol this weekend to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday, organizers made a point of welcoming visitors who might otherwise avoid large Independence Day celebrations. Among the accommodations were designated sensory-friendly spaces to provide a quieter environment for children and adults with autism, post-traumatic stress … Read more

Just a few hours from Washington, D.C., West Virginia's high country offers cool summer evenings that have drawn Mid-Atlantic travelers for generations. (WVExplorer Image)
Travel / Transportation

As the eastern U.S. bakes, West Virginia’s mountains offer a cooler escape

by Bianca Bosworth

BECKLEY, W.Va. — By late afternoon in Washington, D.C., summer settles over the city like a heavy blanket. Heat radiates from sidewalks and office buildings. The marble monuments along the National Mall shimmer in the haze, while commuters hurry between air-conditioned offices, Metro stations, and cars. Even after sunset, the pavement continues releasing the warmth … Read more

Construction crews build new homes in West Virginia, where communities are working to expand affordable housing and meet growing demand for workforce housing and rural economic development.
Lodging and Real Estate

West Virginia affordable housing group expands team as demand for rural development grows

by Bianca Bosworth

ELKINS, W.Va. — As communities across north-central West Virginia continue working to address housing shortages, strengthen downtowns, and support locally owned businesses, Woodlands Development and Lending has expanded its leadership team to meet the growing demand for affordable housing and rural economic development. The Elkins-based nonprofit announced the hiring of McLain Saba as deputy director … Read more

Before air conditioning became widespread, families across West Virginia escaped oppressive summer heat by gathering at cool mountain streams, a tradition that reached its peak during the record-breaking heat waves of the early 1900s and Dust Bowl era.
History / Prehistory

How hot can West Virginia get? A look at the Mountain State’s worst heat waves

by Bianca Bosworth

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As another round of dangerous summer heat settles across much of the eastern United States, many West Virginians will find relief in the Mountain State’s mountains, forests, and cool streams. Yet history shows that the state has endured some of the nation’s most remarkable heat waves, including two days when temperatures soared … Read more

Rather than leveling the land, this contemporary West Virginia home in the Canaan Valley embraces the natural mountainside, illustrating how architects increasingly design with the state's steep terrain instead of trying to overcome it. (Illustration courtesy Mills Group)
Arts

How modern engineering is changing the way people live in West Virginia’s mountains

by Bianca Bosworth

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For generations, West Virginia’s steep mountainsides posed one of the state’s greatest challenges for homebuilders. Deep hollows, narrow ridges, and rugged slopes left little level ground for construction, so communities developed along river bottoms and broader ridge tops, where building was easier. Homes climbed hillsides only when necessary, and the state’s dramatic … Read more

Guests on horseback gather in the gardens of the Pence Springs Hotel during the resort's early years. Horseback riding was among the attractions that drew visitors to the famed mineral springs resort, where the Alderson Horse Show will return horses to the property this summer. (Courtesy photo)
Festivals / Events

Horses return to historic Pence Springs Resort before Alderson Fourth Of July celebration

by Bianca Bosworth

PENCE SPRINGS, W.Va. — Horses will return to the historic Pence Springs resort grounds this summer when the Alderson Fourth of July Celebration hosts its annual horse show at the former mineral-springs resort, reviving an equestrian tradition that helped define the property more than a century ago. Organizers say the June 27 event, part of … Read more

The Middle Fork River at Audra State Park is among the most popular natural swimming holes in West Virginia, attracting visitors throughout the summer. (Photo courtesy Sebastian Chambers)
Travel / Transportation

The 12 best swimming holes in West Virginia for ideal summer escapes

by Bianca Bosworth

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Whether you’re chasing cool, crystal-clear waters or hidden natural pools tucked into lush forest valleys, these publicly accessible swimming holes in West Virginia offer the perfect summer escape. Keep in mind that there are hundreds across the Mountain State, many of which are sourced from clear mountain streams. Explore the best natural … Read more