David Sibray

David Sibray is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of West Virginia Explorer, a news and travel magazine devoted to the state’s history, tourism, outdoor recreation and economic development. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390 or at editor@wvexplorer.com
Illustration of a commercial rafting trip running whitewater beneath the New River Gorge Bridge in southern West Virginia. The state's combination of nationally recognized rivers, dramatic mountain scenery, and outdoor adventure has made it one of the East's premier rafting destinations.

Here’s why West Virginia is the East’s premier whitewater rafting capital

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Travelers planning a whitewater rafting vacation in the East have no shortage of options. Pennsylvania is known for the Youghiogheny. Tennessee has the Olympic-tested Ocoee. North Carolina offers the Nantahala and French Broad. So why do experienced paddlers—and so many first-time visitors—keep choosing West Virginia? Ask the state’s rafting outfitters and tourism … Read more

The Mingo Statue has greeted travelers atop Wheeling Hill since 1928. Created by Wheeling artist Henry Beu, the monument honors Native peoples associated with the Ohio Valley and remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. (Photo: David Sibray)

The story behind Wheeling’s Mingo statue is more complicated than most people realize

WHEELING, W.Va. — For nearly a century, a bronze Native American figure standing atop Wheeling Hill has greeted travelers arriving in the Ohio Valley. Known simply as “The Mingo,” the statue is among Wheeling‘s most recognizable landmarks. Thousands of motorists pass it each year without realizing that the monument represents a people whose history is … Read more

adventure tourism have become increasingly important drivers of the state's visitor economy. (Photo: David Sibray)

New outdoor expo to highlight West Virginia’s growing adventure tourism industry

ELKINS, W.Va. — A new outdoor recreation expo planned for August in Elkins aims to showcase the businesses, destinations, and experiences that have helped make West Virginia one of the fastest-growing outdoor tourism destinations in the eastern United States. The inaugural West Virginia Outdoor Expo is scheduled for Aug. 8-9 at The Railyard Event & … Read more

A spectator watches a Fourth of July fireworks display. Medical professionals say hand injuries and burns increase significantly during Independence Day celebrations each year. (Photo: Dillen M)

Why hand injuries surge during Fourth of July fireworks celebrations

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, medical professionals warn that the holiday also brings a predictable surge in emergency room visits for serious hand injuries. According to B. Seth Powers, a certified hand therapist and assistant professor in the Master of Occupational Therapy program at the West Virginia University … Read more

An illustration depicts the ceremonial landscape that once surrounded Grave Creek Mound in present-day Moundsville, where archaeologists say earthworks and plazas formed one of the Ohio Valley's most significant prehistoric ceremonial centers. (Illustration: Chris Kennedy)

Evidence indicates Grave Creek Mound stood at center of a major ceremonial landscape

MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — Today, visitors standing at the overlook in Grand Vue Park can see the broad basin surrounding Grave Creek Mound, the largest conical burial mound in the United States. From this vantage point, they can perhaps begin to imagine the prehistoric landscape that once occupied the valley. According to archaeologist Hank D. Lutton, … Read more

Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, illuminate a West Virginia field on a summer evening. The Mountain State is home to numerous species whose populations depend on healthy habitat and dark night skies.

Why West Virginia may be America’s best place to see fireflies this summer

WATOGA, W.Va. — As fireflies begin their annual summer display across West Virginia, scientists say one of the insects’ greatest allies may be something many residents take for granted—darkness. Across much of the eastern U.S., artificial lighting continues to expand as development spreads into rural areas. Streetlights, security lighting, and commercial development have transformed nightscapes … Read more