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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.

The new West Virginia Historic Preservation Center will be located in the historic high school building at Arthurdale, West Virginia.
Communities

Alliance to establish W.Va. state historic preservation center

by Clyde Craig

ARTHURDALE, W.Va. — The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, in cooperation with Arthurdale Heritage Inc., has taken a next step in establishing a historic preservation center in this historic community in northern West Virginia. The cooperative is seeking qualified professionals and architecture firms to create a master plan for the center, an adaptive reuse of … Read more

Maple syrup production is growing in West Virginia.
Communities

Maple Syrup Days on tap at six Pocahontas County farms

by David Sibray

MARLINTON, W.Va. — Syrup production is thriving in Pocahontas County, where organizers of Maple Days events are welcoming new producers and expecting more attendees, thanks partly to a renewed interest in Appalachian customs. Six maple producers are opening their doors to public tours in February and March 2023 as the number of maple syrup producers … Read more

A hellbender gazes back at the camera from an aquarium exhibit.
Communities

W.Va. launches citizen science survey of hellbenders, mudpuppies

by David Sibray

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — To learn more about the distribution of odd-looking hellbenders and mudpuppies, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has launched a citizen science project to track sightings of these important but declining salamanders around the state. The project, which will take two years to complete, gives anglers, science enthusiasts and public members … Read more

French Creek Freddie, a favorite resident of the W.Va. Wildlife Center, will offer his advice on the weather this weekend.
Communities

46th Groundhog Day being celebrated at W.Va. Wildlife Center

by Will Reedy

FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. — Will West Virginia suffer more winter or enjoy an early spring? “French Creek Freddie,” the Mountain State’s unofficial weather-prognosticating groundhog, will weigh in during the 46th annual Groundhog Day Festival at the West Virginia Wildlife Center on Thursday, Feb. 2. According to Trevor Moore, a wildlife biologist at the center, the public … Read more

Communities

WVU and partners build a solar-power test site in Fairmont

by Clyde Craig

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The launch of a partnership between West Virginia University engineers and the nonprofit and utility sectors could bring the region one step closer to integrating solar-generated power into the electrical grid. Anurag Srivastava, professor and chair of the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, will support the construction and analysis of a … Read more

A farmer plants in a garden in West Virginia.
Communities

W.Va. encourages farmers to participate in 2022 ag census

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va — The W.Va. Department of Agriculture is encouraging all farmers and farm operations in the state to participate in the 2022 Census of Agriculture to ensure support for agriculture in West Virginia. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service mailed paper questionnaires to producers in December, according to W.Va. Commissioner of … Read more

The North Bend Rail Trail spans Middle Island Creek at West Union, West Virginia.
Communities

Gov. petitions for small business funding in five rural counties

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is petitioning for Clay, Boone, Monroe, Preston, and Hampshire counties to be declared eligible for federal benefits as a result of their relative lack of business investment. The Historically Underutilized Business Zone, or “HUBZone,” program provides participating small businesses access to exclusive federal contracting opportunities and preferential … Read more

McMurran Hall at Shepherd University fronts East German Street in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Communities

Shepherd University awarded nearly $3 million from Congress

by David Sibray

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Four Shepherd University programs will benefit from $2,708,000 in congressionally directed spending that the university is receiving from the $1.7 billion omnibus bill signed by President Joe Biden on December 23, 2022. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who serve on the Appropriations Committee, requested the money to … Read more