David Sibray
BRAMWELL, W.Va. — Towering above the valley of the Bluestone River in southern West Virginia, legendary Pinnacle Rock has captivated visitors for millennia. A capstone on a giant wall, it soars more than 120 feet above the spine of Black Oak Mountain in Pinnacle Rock State Park. But there’s far more to the rocky tower … Read more
HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. — The month of May marks the beginning of West Virginia’s rainy season, the time of year when storms build quickly over her mountain forests and come bearing down on her valleys. It was during one such deluge that infamous Irish prize-fighter Yankee Sullivan fought a clandestine match with English rival Bob … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Winter in the rugged mountains of what is now West Virginia could be perilous. An overnight snow squall or a sudden drop in temperature often turned life-threatening without warning. How did settlers endure such harsh conditions? Historians suggest that cooperation among settlers and a quick adaptation to the unfamiliar Appalachian environment were … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — January’s Wolf Moon harks back to a time when the haunting howl of wolves echoed across the Mountain State, the final stronghold of Canis lupus in the eastern United States. According to historical accounts, the last eastern wolf prowled the remote Allegheny Mountains in east-central West Virginia until 1897, when 17-year-old Daniel … Read more
SHADY SPRING, W.Va. — Perched more than 1,400 feet above the New River, the panoramic overlooks of the New River Gorge at Grandview offer views of the world-famous gorge at its widest and deepest. The rock outcrops, shaded by rhododendron, highlight why Grandview is one of West Virginia’s must-see attractions and a crown-jewel of the … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginia can be a snowy place. Though not nearly as snowy as Maine or Alaska, it snows much of winter, and winter storms have shaped its culture. This is especially so it the lofty Allegheny Mountains where most of its ski resorts are located. Several key moments, both natural and human-made, … Read more
HINTON, W.Va. — Beneath the surface of clean-flowing streams in West Virginia, a multitude of strange creatures lurk, but none is perhaps more shocking to encounter than the hellbender. Also known as the devil dog, the mud devil, and the Allegheny alligator, its names testify to the strangeness of what turns out to be an … Read more
STANAFORD, W.Va. — No marker commemorates the tragedy, few locals know of the matter, and historians are not fully in agreement about what transpired. Yet, as many as 11 people lost their lives that frigid morning in 1903 in what’s now called the “Stanaford Massacre” or the “Battle of Stanaford.” “No one even bothered to … Read more
ANTIOCH, W.Va. — Throughout the history of Appalachia, one may encounter the legend of The saddle in New Creek Mountain appears in the distance from near Skyline, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy Rick Burgess)[/caption] The Devil’s Saddle Sally Cooper tended the ancient hopvine That darkened her shutterless windows and covered The clapboard roof. Years of tilling … Read more
HINTON, W.Va. — The tale of Mary Draper Ingles—of her escape from Shawnee captors and her return through the mountains—is the ideal American frontier story in many senses. It’s a tale of endurance and indomitable spirit. And, because her adventures led through the valley of the New River, it has a unique appeal to residents … Read more
