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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
Filmmaker Emma Crow-Willard pauses beside a mountain stream while hiking West Virginia's 320-mile Allegheny Trail. Her month-long journey combines backpacking with interviews exploring the changing economies of communities along the route.
Hiking

Most hikers have never heard of the Allegheny Trail. One filmmaker set out to discover why

by David Sibray

DURBIN, W.Va. — Millions of Americans know the Appalachian Trail as one of the nation’s premier hiking destinations. Far fewer realize that another long-distance footpath crosses West Virginia’s mountains, winding through forests, rivers, and remote communities before joining the Appalachian Trail at the Virginia border. Known as the Allegheny Trail, the route stretches approximately 320 … Read more

Diners gather around a communal outdoor table to enjoy dishes inspired by West Virginia's Appalachian food traditions, reflecting the state's growing reputation as a destination for authentic local cuisine. (Photo courtesy Ahmet Kurt)
Food

West Virginia’s food scene isn’t what outsiders think, chef says

by David Sibray

BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginia’s food scene has entered a period of national recognition, but many travelers outside Appalachia still think of its cuisine in terms of old stereotypes rather than contemporary excellence, according to Chef Matt Welsch. Welsch, owner of Vagabond Kitchen in Wheeling, said the most significant change isn’t what’s being served in … Read more

Musicians gather in an informal jam session beneath the trees at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival near Clifftop, W.Va. Unlike most music festivals, the heart of the event is found in hundreds of spontaneous circles where participants play together, preserving the traditions of old-time Appalachian music.
Festivals / Events

Why the world’s old-time musicians make a pilgrimage to this West Virginia mountaintop

by David Sibray

CLIFFTOP, W.Va. — Every summer, thousands of musicians carrying fiddles, banjos, guitars, mandolins, and dulcimers wind their way up a narrow mountain road in southern West Virginia. They come from nearly every corner of the United States and from countries as far away as Japan, Australia, England, Germany, and Sweden. Few are household names, and … Read more

A young George Washington surveys the lands along the Ohio River during one of his frontier expeditions in the early 1770s. As a Virginia surveyor, soldier, and land speculator, Washington traveled the upper Ohio Valley to evaluate its forests, waterways, and settlement potential, helping shape the region's early colonial history. (WVExplorer Illustration)
History / Prehistory

Before the American Revolution, West Virginia almost became Britain’s 14th colony, Vandalia

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Long before West Virginia became America’s 35th state, it came remarkably close to becoming something very different—Britain’s 14th colony. Only a few years after Britain’s victory in the French and Indian War, influential English politicians, wealthy land speculators, and prominent Americans—including Benjamin Franklin—proposed creating a new colony west of the Allegheny Mountains. … Read more