Landmarks / Museums

Editor’s Note: If you’re familiar with the outdoors in West Virginia, you’ve likely seen rocks piled in what might seem “the middle of nowhere.” Many were stacked by settlers and farmers, but others are prehistoric and sacred, according to archaeologist Charity Moore, who’s cataloging their forms and locations. During a routine archaeological survey in Doddridge … Read more

All it took was a spark to ignite an explosion that sent hurricane-force winds tearing through mines beneath the mountains near Montcoal in southern West Virginia. The Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, as it came to be known, killed 29 miners and injured another two on April 5, 2010, though it would be days before … Read more

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the construction of the Big Bend Tunnel in southern West Virginia—the enterprise that legendarily took the life of folk-hero John Henry, believed by many to have been a flesh-and-blood railroad worker. According to most versions of the tale, Henry was employed to help dig the tunnel for … Read more

When tourists arrive in Moundsville, West Virginia, they often come to see the massive Grave Creek Adena burial mound or tour the infamous West Virginia Penitentiary. Few may notice the small stone structures at the base of the mound across from the prison or know of the link between them. The small sandstone structure is … Read more

In advance of Saturday’s annual preservation awards banquet in Clarksburg, West Virginia, the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia today announced the winners of its 11th annual preservation awards. The banquet and ceremony are being held at the newly restored Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center in the Clarksburg National Historic District, according to Daniel Parker, executive … Read more

VALLEY BEND, W.Va.—At the heart of an experimental community established during the New Deal in West Virginia, the rescued Homestead Community Center in the scenic Tygart Valley is in need of financial assistance to help repair restroom facilities. Though it remains an endangered historic property, designated as such by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, … Read more

Many North Wheeling buildings are a step closer to being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and development officials have found several buildings in a new district survey that were older than they had expected. The Wheeling National Heritage Area, in Wheeling, West Virginia, is now accepting bids for a third and final … Read more

In the midst of a scenic valley, on the edge of a county fairground, it waits empty, looking out across broad pastures. Some say it’s eerie. Some, breath-taking. It’s the defining image for many travelers who visit rural Tyler County for the first time. State officials say it belongs on the National Register of Historic … Read more