David Sibray
BECKLEY, W.Va. — A stone’s throw from one of the busiest traffic centers in West Virginia, a spring house and one-room cabin are all that remains of a farm that was long a favorite stop for 19th-century travelers. Now, its owners are working to preserve the cabin and the bubbling spring that watered countless horses … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Questions may always surround a mysterious boulder found 200 years ago in southern West Virginia inscribed with the characters “S. Ferguson F. County 1814.” (The numeral “4” is chiseled in reverse.) Ferguson’s Rock has since been the focus of local legends, including tales of a phantom that roams the scene of its … Read more
EASTON, W.Va. — Hidden in a small wooded valley within the busy municipality of Morgantown, West Virginia, the historic steam-powered Easton Roller Mill roars to life on summer Sundays, attracting the attention of all who enjoy gears and pulleys. The mill, which served as a grist mill and lumber mill, was restored by the Monongalia … Read more
COPLEY, W.Va. — In a quiet meadow along the upper reaches of the Sand Fork of the Little Kanawha River, it’s hard to imagine that there was ever more hustle and bustle than the crow of a rooster. The village of Copley today is a quiet place, but, as with much of West Virginia, one … Read more
LYNCO, W.Va. — Scientists studying ancient carvings in West Virginia say stories that propose a non-native origin for prehistoric landmarks ignore evidence and may dishonor Native American heritage. Mysterious though the carvings are, officials with the A detailed view of the petroglyphs at Lynco is outlined in chalk.[/caption] Archaeologist and council spokeswoman Charity Moore wrote … Read more
GRANT TOWN, W.Va. — If you’ve had the opportunity to descend into a West Virginia coal mine, you might have come away with a new sense of the absolute darkness. The coal itself absorbs what little light might reach into the deep. Though the darkness can inspire dread, the nature of mining can lead the … Read more
GRANTSVILLE, W.Va. — Nights in rural Calhoun County are counted among the darkest in West Virginia, so it’s little wonder that the tale of one of the state’s strangest hauntings comes out of its hills. The phantom, which supposedly manifested in the valley of the Little Kanawha River in the late 1800s, is still a … Read more
HILLSBORO, W.Va. — Hill’s Creek in eastern West Virginia is more than just a pretty stream. Though its waterfalls have won fame worldwide, scientifically speaking, there’s more to the stream than meets the eye. Descending from the Allegheny Mountains in Pocahontas County, its triple waterfalls attract thousands of tourists annually and are among the most … Read more
PINEVILLE, W.Va. — If it’s May or June in West Virginia and you’ve noticed an uptick in bear encounters on social media and in person, don’t be surprised. Young black bears are venturing out on their own in late spring and early summer, and male and female adults are searching for food and mating opportunities. … Read more
GRANDVIEW, W.Va. — Trees once shaded country cemeteries in Appalachia, according to an archaeologist. As a practical matter, they were not covered in grassy lawns, which would have been challenging to maintain. According to David Rotenizer, an archaeologist and Virginia tourism official, caretakers planted trees to shade the cemeteries and deter the growth of grass … Read more
