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David Sibray

David Sibray is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of West Virginia Explorer, a news and travel magazine devoted to the state’s history, tourism, outdoor recreation and economic development. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390 or at editor@wvexplorer.com
A cerulean warbler is a denizen of West Virginia's oldest forests and a favorite species for birdwatchers.
Communities

W.Va. seeks landowners interested in improving wildlife habitat

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, is seeking private landowners who want to improve wildlife habitat on their land. The partnership seeks to address shrinking populations of priority wildlife species by implementing conservation practices that improve natural resources on private … Read more

A sign recognizing the Eastern Continental Divide rises along I-68 in Maryland. Google Maps image.
Attractions

Promotion of high bridge, continental divide gains support

by David Sibray

BECKLEY, W.Va. — A West Virginia lawmaker says he’s backing a proposal to attract tourists to two landmarks along I-64 in southern West Virginia—the Eastern Continental Divide and the Phil G. McDonald Bridge over Glade Creek, the highest bridge on the U.S. interstate highway system. W.Va. Delegate Brandon Steele (R-Raleigh) says he thinks a concept … Read more

The W.Va. Division of Forestry predicts peak fall foliage will emerge in late September in the Allegheny Mountains.
Communities

West Virginia tourism releases 2022 fall foliage map

by David Sibray

The West Virginia Tourism Office has released its 2022 predictive map for fall foliage, estimating the peak of the leaf-peeping season to begin in the Allegheny Mountains in late September. The end of the peak should fall one month later, at the end of October, in the West Virginia lowlands in the northern panhandle, the … Read more

An enigmatic stone face carved into mossy sandstone along the rim of the New River Gorge is attracting increased attention.
Arts

Remarkable stone face attracting curious in New River Gorge

by David Sibray

An enigmatic stone face carved into mossy sandstone along the rim of the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia is attracting increased attention as tourism grows in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Though its origins are popularly regarded as a mystery, the bas-relief countenance was likely carved in the 1950s, and … Read more

Berries at a farmer's market
Agriculture

Farmers’ markets in W.Va. nearly triple over four years

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—Over the last four years, the number of farmers’ markets in West Virginia has nearly tripled, according to the W.Va. Department of Agriculture. In 2019, there were 93 registered markets across the state. Now there are 267, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “Coming out of a pandemic that shut down food manufacturers, … Read more

Entrance to former W.Va. Penitentiary
Culture

W.Va. Penitentiary at Moundsville focus of strange history

by David Sibray

The former West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville, West Virginia, in Marshall County, was a castellated gothic-style prison in operation from 1876 until 1995. It is now a tourist attraction popular with historians and paranormal enthusiasts. In 1863, West Virginia had only just seceded from Virginia and suffered a shortage of public institutions, including prisons. … Read more