Communities in West Virginia offers residents a welcoming atmosphere, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of connection to nature and neighbors alike. From charming small towns to vibrant cities like Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia communities provide friendly neighborhoods, excellent schools, and access to outdoor recreation right at your doorstep. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life surrounded by the state’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests, along with rich local culture, historic sites, and community events that bring people together. With safe streets, local businesses, and a true spirit of Appalachian hospitality, living in West Virginia communities means enjoying a high quality of life and a supportive, tight-knit environment where everyone feels at home. Be sure to visit our Communities Travel Guide for information about communities in West Virginia.
RENICK, W.Va. — Some of the most precious of West Virginia wildflowers are spring ephemerals. Fleeting in nature, they are gone in a heartbeat. Though they may seem to have vanished by early summer, many leave a remembrance, a clue, if you will, for you to find them next spring—a dried-up leaf, a flower stalk, … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Much of West Virginia enjoys about 85 percent as much sunlight as Miami, Florida, which means it’s ideally suited to solar energy use, says the founder and CEO of West Virginia-based Solar Holler. Thanks to technological advances, Dan Conant says solar energy is now an affordable and viable option for many residents … Read more
PINEVILLE, W.Va. — If it’s May or June in West Virginia and you’ve noticed an uptick in bear encounters on social media and in person, don’t be surprised. Young black bears are venturing out on their own in late spring and early summer, and male and female adults are searching for food and mating opportunities. … Read more
MARLINTON, W.Va. — Located entirely within the Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia includes some of the darkest regions of the night sky in the eastern U.S. While regions near its largest cities may be bright enough to wash out many stars, residents of more than 50 percent of the state enjoy star-spangled nights. Where are the … Read more
ITMANN, W.Va. — A tourist attraction in West Virginia’s southern mountains, the landmark Itmann Company Store — also known as the “Castle in the Coalfields” — has returned to the real estate market and is attracting more interest than ever. Parties negotiating the purchase of the property earlier in the year could not reach an … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Communities across West Virginia are turning to their scenic potential to bolster local economies. They’ve discovered that beauty spots attract tourists and increase the desirability of nearby real estate without much expense. Landscape architect Joe Bird, vice president of Chapman Technical Group, says West Virginia’s beauty has substantial economic value, and investors … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians are increasingly turning to their native resources for diversion and sustenance, and bee-keeping has certainly enjoyed renewed interest. More than 13,300 bee colonies are registered in the Mountain State, producing almost 245,000 pounds of honey annually. Therefore, maintaining pollinating plants is of increased economic importance to West Virginia honey producers … Read more
MARLINTON, W.Va. — When spring is in the air in West Virginia, black bears come out of hibernation and begin a desperate search for food. Because bears become more active during this time of year, the chances of an outdoor encounter increase, says Colin Carpenter, black bear project leader for the W.Va. Division of Natural … Read more
THURMOND, W.Va. — Programming through a preservation organization in West Virginia will support leasing in this historic town where the National Park Service had considered demolishing several nationally historic buildings it had formerly promised to save. Following a groundswell of public aversion to a proposal to demolish more than 20 historic structures in the town, … Read more
ELKINS, W.Va. — To help educate the public about the value and stability of historic stone walls, the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia has declared those in historic districts across the Mountain State “endangered.” According to Danielle Parker, the organization’s executive director, “statewide, hand-cut stone walls aged 50 years or older are part of this … Read more
