David Sibray
FRAZIER’S BOTTOM, W.Va. — How did a great-nephew of George Washington come to be buried in a virtually forgotten graveyard in the Kanawha Valley near Winfield, West Virginia—more than 400 miles from the family’s Potomac Valley plantations? Historian and environmental geographer Alex Cole says that the cemetery’s elusive past and why the landmark is not … Read more
LANSING, W.Va. — The Endless Wall Trail has again been ranked one of the best hiking trails in the U.S., though officials with the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve say hikers can expect crowds and may wish to consider alternate trails. Following an article in The Discoverer, park ranger Dave Bieri concurred that … Read more
NEOLA, W.Va. — Officials with the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia are soliciting applications from people interested in operating and maintaining the boat rental facilities at Lake Sherwood Recreation Area. The boat rental area at Lake Sherwood includes a boat rental registration and storage building with electrical service, a parking area, a concrete boat … Read more
QUIET DELL, W.Va. — On the morning of March 18, 1932, Harry Powers plummeted through the gallows at the West Virginia Penitentiary and dangled for 11 minutes before being pronounced dead. His body hung limp, his lips still, never revealing his thoughts about the violent murders with which he had been charged. Who was Harry … Read more
NEW MANCHESTER, W.Va. — Some say that the ghost of Judge John Hoke Reddick still haunts his grave, and that’s not hard to believe, given its remarkable nature. The judge had himself buried in two states—half in Virginia (now West Virginia) and half in Pennsylvania. Though the state boundary has shifted slightly west since he … Read more
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Hiking in West Virginia in winter can prove a transcendent experience. Nothing compares to a stroll through a wonderland of snow and frozen waterfalls. Even in low-lying valleys where snow seldom lingers, a walk through the sleeping landscape can be life-changing. Winter hiking in West Virginia also presents its own set of … Read more
THOMAS, W.Va. — The Allegheny Mountains in eastern West Virginia grow treacherous in winter—and hardly more so than along the western front of that range, which bears the brunt of blizzards coming off the Monongahela Valley. In 1885, twenty-year-old James B. Helmick came face-to-face with the savagery of the Alleghenies while hunting on Backbone Mountain. … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Guided hikes in nine state parks and natural areas in West Virginia are being hosted on January 1, 2024, as part of a nationwide outdoor recreation initiative instituted by America’s State Parks. Hailing the opportunity to start the new year with an outdoor adventure, Brett McMillion, director of the W.Va. Division of … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — What makes for a good arts community? Good arts communities are those in which affordable housing, entrepreneurial spirit, and the availability of arts venues—such as galleries and coffeehouses—are reversing economic downturn, according to John Villani, the author of “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America.” “In places that got their start … Read more
SAINT ALBANS, W.Va. — Might Edgar Allen Poe have written his poem “The Raven” while visiting the Kanawha Valley? Though nothing’s been proven, the mansion in which Poe might have lodged is named Raven’s Court. Jim Mullooly, of Avella, Pa., once reported to the newspaper that on a visit to Georgetown, Pa., he once saw … Read more
