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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
Mount Pisgah Church, founded in 1877 in Berkeley Springs, served generations of African American worshipers before falling into disuse. Community leaders are now working to preserve the historic landmark as the Town of Bath prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026.
Landmarks / Museums

Forgotten Black church in Berkeley Springs may find new life after decades of neglect

by David Sibray

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — For decades, one of the most significant African American landmarks in Berkeley Springs quietly served as little more than a storage shed. Now, community leaders hope to restore Mount Pisgah Church, an 1877 church founded by members of the town’s Black community, preserving a place of worship whose history reflects the faith, … Read more

Fayetteville businessman Sean Clarke works remotely above the New River Gorge, a region whose appeal is growing appeal not only as a recreation destination but also as a place to live, work, and build new businesses.
Economic Development

How the New River Gorge region is building a new economy beyond the national park

by David Sibray

BECKLEY, W.Va. — Five years after the redesignation of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, southern West Virginia is entering a new phase of growth. While millions of visitors now know the New River Gorge region for its whitewater rivers, scenic overlooks, climbing cliffs, and mountain trails, local leaders are increasingly focused on turning … Read more

Alone in the vast Appalachian wilderness, Jenny Wiley follows a rocky mountain stream toward freedom in this imagined late nineteenth-century-style wood engraving inspired by her legendary escape.
History / Prehistory

Before West Virginia, there was wilderness: Why Appalachia still remembers Jenny Wiley

by David Sibray

BIG SANDY VALLEY, W.Va. — Long before West Virginia became a state, before railroads climbed its mountains or highways threaded its valleys, the Appalachian wilderness began where civilization ended. To Americans living in Philadelphia or the young nation’s capital on the Potomac, the mountains beyond the Blue Ridge marked the edge of the known world. … Read more

The Charleston Light Opera Guild presents 1776 at the West Virginia Culture Center during West Virginia's America250 celebration. The Tony Award-winning musical concludes its Independence Day weekend run with performances July 3–5.
Arts

See 1776 during West Virginia’s America250 Celebration this Fourth of July weekend

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Visitors traveling to Charleston this Independence Day weekend for West Virginia’s America250 Capital City Celebration can experience one of the nation’s most enduring patriotic stage productions when the Charleston Light Opera Guild presents the final performances of 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical that dramatizes the birth of the United States. The production … Read more

Viewed from above, Stretcher Neck forms one of the most dramatic landforms in the New River Gorge. Much of the surrounding landscape has been acquired by the Arc of Appalachia, protecting nearly 2,000 acres adjoining New River Gorge National Park and Preserve while helping pave the way for a future trail connection between Beckley and the park. (Photo: Lori Herrald Lebl)
Wildlife / Conservancy

Why a national conservation group is betting millions on West Virginia

by David Sibray

BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginia contains the finest remaining temperate hardwood forests in the eastern United States, according to the executive director of a national conservation organization that recently invested nearly $2.8 million to help protect them. That conviction led the Arc of Appalachia to purchase nearly 2,000 acres bordering the New River Gorge National … Read more

Wounded Confederate Capt. DeLaguel receives water and shelter from the White family after reportedly crawling for three days through the Allegheny wilderness following the Battle of Rich Mountain in July 1861. The scene is based on a long-preserved Randolph County tradition. (WVExplorer illustration)
History / Prehistory

The wounded captain who crawled off Rich Mountain

by David Sibray

BEVERLY, W.Va. — Every battlefield has its stories. Some are preserved in military reports and official records, while others endure because generations of local families refused to let them be forgotten. Among the most enduring tales from the Battle of Rich Mountain is that of Confederate Capt. DeLaguel, who, according to Randolph County tradition, spent … Read more