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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.

“It’s my belief that board games bring people together," says Jared Kaplan of Beckley-based Lonely Hero Games.
Communities

W.Va. board-game developer launches first title on Kickstarter

by David Sibray

Lonely Hero Games, a new board game development company founded by two Beckley natives, has launched its first game, “Bank Heist” on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Jared Kaplan and Christopher Kincaid grew up in Beckley, where Kaplan still resides, while Kincaid moved to Morgantown. Kaplan says the pair believe that creating and launching their company … Read more

Restored pioneer farm at Twin Falls Resort State Park, Wyoming County, Hatfield & McCoy Region
Communities

W.Va. State Parks to host second Farm-to-Table dinner series

by Bianca Bosworth

The W.Va. Department of Agriculture will host nine farm-to-table dinners at state park restaurants between June 15 and September 12 in conjunction with the W.Va. Farmers Market Association and the state Department of Natural Resources. Several dinners this year will heighten the excitement with themes that compliment the local food pairings, including “Hoedown-on-the-Hill” at Chief … Read more

An Airbnb room awaits guests in Morgantown, West Virginia. Photo courtesy Airbnb.com.
Communities

Airbnbs earned record $21k during WVU commencement

by Bianca Bosworth

Airbnb.com officials say hosts in Morgantown, West Virginia, earned more than $21,000 while welcoming 230 guests to the city during the West Virginia University (WVU) commencement May 10-13. The jump represented the third largest surge in bookings for Morgantown, in Monongalia County, in the history of Airbnb.com’s online home-sharing platform—behind only a couple of football … Read more

Campers gather around a fire in a West Virginia forest.
Communities

New River college offering two-day survival skills course

by Clyde Craig

Enhance your survival skills and knowledge during a two-day course offered in May at New River Community and Technical College’s campus in Nicholas County at Summersville, West Virginia. Students will receive instruction on how to survive in emergency situations and learn how settlers lived without modern conveniences and technology, according to Jenni R. Canterbury, the … Read more

No longer industrially viable, West Virginia brownfield sites are eligible for assistance.
Communities

Brownfield assistance center calls for community applicants

by Clyde Craig

Is your community suffering from the appearance of its old industrial or commercial sites—otherwise known as brownfields? The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at West Virginia University is seeking communities that would like to apply for up to $5,000 in redevelopment assistance. According to Patrick Kirby, a spokesman for the Foundations for Overcoming Challenges and … Read more

A field of hemp in West Virginia greets the dawn.
Communities

Hemp licenses triple in West Virginia in 2019

by Bianca Bosworth

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture issued 158 individual licenses under its new industrial hemp program for 2019—more than triple the amount issued in 2018. The licenses included 71 applicants who marked processing as part of their submission and a proposed total acreage to be grown by licensees is 2,531, according to Commissioner of Agriculture … Read more

A historic stone barn awaits the harvest in West Virginia's eastern panhandle.
Communities

W.Va. Dept. of Agriculture releases new five-year plan

by David Sibray

The West Virginia Agriculture Advisory Board has released a five year-strategic plan for West Virginia agriculture, which Commissioner of Agricultural Ken Leonhardt says he hopes to initiate immediately. Titled “A Shared Agenda for Growing West Virginia’s Agricultural Economy,” the plan focuses on several areas—connecting producers to market opportunities, creating infrastructure needed to grow the agriculture … Read more

Passengers pass a wreck along the old Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad.
Communities

Rail excursion gaining ground in scenic W.Va. valley

by David Sibray

Thousands of miners and loggers once lived in the little valley through which West Virginia’s newest rail excursion runs. Trout swim and deer browse where a century ago striking miners bombed the line that rail-bikes and little engines now follow. Peace, quiet, and history are chief reasons more than 1,200 guests pedaled or boarded open … Read more