David Sibray
PINEVILLE, W.Va. — Looming above the county seat of Wyoming County amid the mountains of southern West Virginia, a “forgotten” pinnacle of sandstone more than 125 feet tall is attracting attention again as tourism grows in the region. Castle Rock, or The Pinnacle, dominates the upper valley of the Guyandotte River in Pineville, West Virginia, … Read more
BOOMER, W.Va. — Only one church of the Roman Catholic faith in West Virginia is venerated as a “shrine”—a place of special devotion that contains a saint’s relic. But church officials at the diocese in Wheeling, West Virginia, are at a loss to explain how the shrine was designated and what sacred relic may be … Read more
LEWISBURG, W.Va. — Windy nights such as those that sweep through the hollows in West Virginia may put residents of Lewisburg in mind of the legend of Sam Hart. It was here that the proud youth raced the Devil through the streets. Most have heard similar tales, often with a similarly unsettling outcome, though that … Read more
ATHENS, W.Va. — Farmers in the countryside near Concord University in West Virginia sometimes speak of a strange winter phenomenon. When conditions are just right, the sound of the school’s 48-bell carillon, often no more than a distant melody, swells to a thunderous intensity miles from its source. The effect can be haunting. Caused by air … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — In almost every respect, the coal camp at Fireco was the end of the line. It was as far up the hollow as you were likely to get in a car in the 1930s when word of a prowling monster began to make the rounds. Then, as now, the community was a … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — While the ease and convenience of an artificial Christmas tree has genuine appeal, a West Virginia University professor and forest resource specialist is making the case for the authentic look and smell of a fresh-cut tree. Purchasing live trees from local sources puts a maximum amount of money back into the local … Read more
HEROLD, W.Va. — The mountains that tower above the Birch River bear the brunt of winter storms that sweep across central West Virginia, and it was here on a snowy night that a legendary battle between man and nature was fought. The legend has grown obscure, but there’s little dispute that Bill Barnett was a … Read more
SINKS GROVE, W.Va. — Unknown to many residents of the Greenbrier Valley in southern West Virginia, a six-mile crack in the surface of the earth has been hiding beneath their feet. Visible only from the air, the “Monitor Lineament” is one of the strangest landforms in this scenic landscape of bluegrass pastures, vanishing brooks, and … Read more
WEIRTON, W.Va. — When pioneers and other explorers first ventured into what would become West Virginia, they encountered artifacts of a much earlier age — carvings, burial mounds, and stone walls, the origins of which natives could not explain with certainty. Petroglyphs inscribed in rock featuring human and animal figures were perhaps the most striking … Read more
WITCHER CREEK, W.Va. — It wasn’t long ago that country folk in West Virginia might tell tales of a turkey witch. Of all the forms a witch could take, that of a wild turkey was the most feared, especially among the farms at the edge of the deep forests where turkeys are most at home. … Read more
