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
"The Ascent of Gauley Mountain, in Western Virginia by the Twelfth Ohio Regiment," from Harpers Illustrated, October 5, 1861.

Civil War lecture series set for Sept. 28 in Charleston

West Virginia Archives and History will present a series of four hour-long lectures regarding West Virginia during the Civil War on Saturday, Sept. 28, in Charleston, West Virginia. During an hour-long break between the morning and afternoon sessions, attendees will have an opportunity to inspect Civil War artifacts from the personal collections of presenters and … Read more

The midway at the State Fair of West Virginia rages with color at dusk at Fairlea, West Virginia.

State Fair of W.Va. broke record food, carnival sales in 2019

Good weather and gate specials helped the State Fair of West Virginia reach record food and carnival sales in 2019, according to Kelly Collins, CEO for the fair, who provided a breakdown of figures. “Although school calendars have affected attendance for the State Fair of West Virginia, we were fortunate to have great weather,” Collins … Read more

The community of Point Pleasant extends into the distance from the junction of the Ohio (left) and Kanawha (right) rivers.

WVU selects Point Pleasant for community branding

Rich in lore and history, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, has been chosen as the recipient of a branding project by West Virginia University designed to promote tourism and economic development. Home of the Mothman legend and a turning-point battle with the Shawnee, it’s also a community on the rise, says Rita Colistra, associate professor at … Read more

A student at Morgantown, West Virginia, stands transfixed under a street light.

New paranormal expo central to Monongahela Valley

As any student who attends West Virginia University at Morgantown can tell you, there’s an air of mystery that grows over the Monongahela Valley at night. Ranked among the most haunted locales in West Virginia, Morgantown—and all of the Monongahela Valley, from Pittsburgh to the Allegheny uplands—is imbued with a sense of the uncanny. It … Read more

Denise Giardina portrays American humorist Minnie Pearl.

Denise Giardina to portray Minnie Pearl at Bramwell Sept. 13

Appalachian writer and former gubernatorial candidate Visitor Center at Bramwell, WV[/caption] While producing an amateur musical comedy in Baileyton, Alabama, Colley met a mountain woman whose style and talk became the basis for the character, who greeted audiences with the catchphrase, “How-w-w-DEE-E-E-E! I’m just so proud to be here!” The character first appeared on the Grand … Read more