Communities in West Virginia offer 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, as well as 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.
If you’ve read any of my past diatribes, you know that I favor scientific botanical nomenclature above common names. That’s caused many readers to come to think of me as a snob or know-it-all. That’s not the case! But, I’m going to save the “plant name” discussion for a later date. I just wanted to … Read more
A leadership gift to West Virginia University from longtime supporters Ken and Randy Kendrick will allow the John Chambers College of Business and Economics to transform economics education through innovative programs for high-schoolers and educators statewide via the new Kendrick Center for an Ethical Economy. The $40 million partnership with the Kendricks complements broader efforts … Read more
The worst of the pandemic seemingly over, West Virginia may witness the enthusiastic return of community ramp feasts in spring 2022, according to the publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine. Celebrations of the wild leek, known regionally as the “ramp,” have long been the focus of community gatherings in the Mountain State, where it is … Read more
I hunt for undomesticated plants. Even though I have a substantial vegetable garden, which supplies my family with a steady supply of fresh, frozen, and canned corn, beans, onions, carrots, lettuce, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, I still forage for wild salad plants. I can’t imagine doing otherwise. Because it’s fun, I do what one person described … Read more
A new wildlife education center at the 102-acre Forks-of-Coal State Natural Area near Charleston, West Virginia, is set to open in spring and is in the final stages of construction, according to officials. The 7,000-square-foot center located off the US-119 expressway near the confluence of the Big Coal and Little Coal rivers will include multiple … Read more
Glenville State College at Glenville, West Virginia, in the central Mountain State, kicks off its sesquicentennial celebration this week, culminating with Founder’s Day events on February 19, the anniversary of the college’s founding 150 years ago. College president Dr. Mark A. Manchin spoke of his excitement about the anniversary and the direction the school has … Read more
Friday’s high winds and warm temperatures have officials at the W.Va. Division of Forestry asking West Virginians to avoid outdoor burning until conditions improve. Forestry officials cite media reports of multiple brush fires in south-central West Virginia, including Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. Forestry fire personnel also continue to fight a fire in a … Read more
The State of West Virginia has been named to the Forbes list of America’s Best Employers 2022, Gov. Jim Justice announced. The list includes businesses from all industries, not only governments, according to the governor, and West Virginia was one of only two states to crack the list’s top 250. Justice said the honor was … Read more
A picture speaks a thousand words, and that’s a good thing because I have a lot to say about this plant that could best be said in pictures. And I’d be happy to hear that this article stimulated you enough to go out hunting for Hydrophyllum virginianum in the wild this spring. First, let’s chat … Read more
Shepherd University, at Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is hosting two talks by The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia that will focus on actions for climate resiliency and forest conservation in the state and the Appalachian Mountains on Monday, February 28, at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium. The presentations, which are … Read more
