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 U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of the Longhorned tick in Hardy County in eastern West Virginia, according to the W.Va. Department of Agriculture. Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks were collected from cattle on two farms in Hardy County near the Virginia border, according to W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “We now have … Read more
Black bears are now found in all 55 counties in West Virginia, and officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources are warning residents not to feed them, a practice that can promote conflict. Colin Carpenter, a black bear project leader for the division’s Wildlife Resources Section, reminds residents that feeding black bears, the state … Read more
Fifty elk will be released “softly” into the mountains of southern West Virginia this summer in an effort to reestablish the animal in its native range, and another 20 calves may be on their way as some of the cows are pregnant, state officials say. Transported from Arizona over the last year, the herd will … Read more
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources will host a public ceremony May 15 to introduce 50 elk recently acquired from Arizona. Gov. Jim Justice and division director Stephen McDaniel will speak about this next important step in the state’s elk reintroduction program. The event, which will start at 1 p.m. at the Tomblin Wildlife Management … Read more
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources and U.S. Geological Survey have confirmed that a northern snakehead fish was killed in another body of water and illegally dumped into Opequon Creek near W.Va. Route 9 in Berkeley County. [Add your comments about this potentially devastating crime below!] The survey received the dead fish at its Leetown … Read more
A new statewide fund has been established to offset development costs for owners of historic properties in West Virginia. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia announced on Friday the launch of the fund, which will guarantee up to 20 percent of loans for construction, acquisition, and pre-development. The loan can be used in concert with … Read more
Participants in the fifth annual wildflower walk April 7 at Saint Albans City Park in Saint Albans, West Virginia, are invited to join in a variety of programs, including seed-planting, rain-barrel making, and photography workshops and an exhibition featuring live birds of prey. Led by experienced naturalists, registration for the hike begins at 9 a.m. … Read more
Blackwater Falls State Park, near Davis, West Virginia, will welcome hundreds of wildflower enthusiasts to the area May 10-13 for a weekend of springtime outdoor adventure and nature exploration during its 57th annual West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage. The Wildflower Pilgrimage is one of the longest-running special events sponsored by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. … Read more
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is inviting organizations across the state to apply for AmeriCorps members to assist in historical development projects in 2018 and 2019. The alliance annually provides an average of 30 Americorps members to assist in preservation and heritage-tourism projects, though requests for member services are growing, according to Danielle LaPresta, … Read more
The W.Va. Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, is proposing aerial treatment of gypsy moth infestation over approximately 5,298 acres in the central and eastern mountains in 2018. Officials are concerned that without treatment infestations in West Virginia will reach high enough levels to cause tree mortality, according to … Read more
