David Sibray
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — This weekend, the grounds of the West Virginia Capitol will host the 48th Vandalia Gathering, the state’s annual celebration of West Virginia heritage. Thousands of visitors from around the state and nation attend the event, which is free to the public, features traditional West Virginian music, dance, art, crafts, food, and storytelling. … Read more
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Nearly all who cross the towering New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia are affected by the journey. Soaring 876 feet above the New River, it affords motorists a vista of one of the most remarkable landscapes in the U.S. But only a few of the millions of tourists who now visit … Read more
WHEELING, W.Va. — Once rare in many parts of West Virginia, black bears are now found in all counties, and officials are reminding residents that interactions increase in spring, when care should be taken to secure food. Even in suburban areas, residents should bring food indoors in spring and summer, according to Colin Carpenter, black … Read more
SUTTON, W.Va. — Sightings of a bigfoot alleged in the wilderness surrounding Sutton Lake in central West Virginia may have a historical precedent. According to Andrew Smith, executive director of the Braxton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, old news clippings that refer to a “wildman” and more recent stories of an ape-like creature imply that … Read more
ALUM CREEK, W.Va. — Officials with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will host a public meeting on Tuesday, May 20, to review and receive feedback on options proposed for developing the Forks-of-Coal State Natural Area. At the confluence of the Little Coal and Big Coal rivers south of Charleston, West Virginia, on the … Read more
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Want to increase your property value? Plant a shade tree. Want to charge more for goods and services in your shop or restaurant? Plant a shade tree. Especially in West Virginia, where tourists come for shade in summer and color in autumn, shady lawns and gardens, even shady parking lots, can increase … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One enduring West Virginia legend posits that the first person of European descent to visit the land now within the boundaries of the Mountain State was a “lunatic.” The late Jim Comstock, publisher of the celebrated West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, briefly mentioned the tale in his work, though little is known of … Read more
JUSTICE, W.Va. — Which is the shortest river in West Virginia? Most sources have heretofore agreed that it’s the Holly River at 3.9 miles. The namesake for Holly River State Park, it is indeed short, far shorter than most people probably think a river should be. However, there’s another river in West Virginia that’s even … Read more
ZENITH, W.Va. — Those who have heard the haunting “Peters Mountain Roar” say it will forever stay with them. “The roar of a thousand lions,” some have called it. A meteorological phenomenon, the sound is most often experienced in the windward valleys west of Peters Mountain. Many theories have been proposed about its origin, though … Read more
PIPESTEM, W.Va. — Many of the thousands of people named “Farley” in the New River valley region in southern West Virginia trace their lineage back to one early settler, Drewry Farley. He and his wife, Mary Adkins Farley, established their family in an upland pasture overlooking the New River at the summit of what’s known … Read more
