The history and prehistory of West Virginia reveal a fascinating journey from ancient Native American cultures to its role in America’s story. Prehistoric sites, such as the Grave Creek Mound, showcase the region’s mound-building cultures that left behind impressive burial mounds and earthworks. Later, European settlers ventured into the rugged Appalachian Mountains, forging frontier communities and thriving amidst challenging terrain. During the American Civil War, West Virginia famously seceded from Virginia to remain loyal to the Union, becoming the 35th state in 1863. Coal mining played a vital role in shaping West Virginia’s economy and identity, fueling America’s industrial growth and leaving a lasting legacy in the state’s communities and culture. Today, visitors can explore historic towns, Civil War battlefields, and preserved pioneer homesteads that tell the rich, enduring story of West Virginia’s resilient spirit and deep mountain roots.
RED JACKET, W.Va. — Long before William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield became one of the most famous figures in Appalachian history, another Hatfield was remembered as a mountain giant along the Tug Fork. His name was Ephraim Hatfield, though generations knew him better as “Big Eaf.” He was the father of Devil Anse and several … Read more
RICHWOOD, W.Va. — Before funeral homes became commonplace in West Virginia, a death could put an entire community to work. Someone washed and dressed the body. A carpenter or neighbor might build the coffin. Men dug the grave. Friends and relatives brought food and stayed through the night with the deceased, keeping a vigil traditionally … Read more
BEAVER, W.Va. — Gary Morefield was cleaning an old gravestone in a small cemetery in an Appalachian valley when he reflected on what such places can reveal. “Cemeteries are like libraries,” he said. “You can learn the history of a place just strolling through.” The stone belongs to Clarkson Prince, who came from Philadelphia to … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Daniel Boone is remembered as a great figure of the Kentucky frontier, but a surviving document in his own hand illuminates a lesser-known chapter of his life. The famed frontiersman spent years in what’s now West Virginia, where he surveyed land, served in the militia, and represented Kanawha County in the Virginia … Read more
NEW CUMBERLAND, W.Va. — More than 20 brick plants once crowded what’s now a scenic stretch of the Ohio River, producing millions of bricks shipped to Pittsburgh and to cities hundreds of miles away, transforming a small West Virginia community into a nationally important industrial center. The concentration became so extensive that riverboat crews called … Read more
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Sheltered near where the Kanawha River empties into the Ohio, one of West Virginia’s most unusual surviving pieces of prehistoric art stands. Carved into a large stone is the outline of a four-legged creature with a long body and an enormous tail curling inward upon itself. Known today as the Panther … Read more
Editor’s note: The following historical account by the late historian Nathan Goff Carter contains graphic descriptions of injuries and death. DUNBAR, W.Va. — On the morning of July 4, 1891, a passenger train departed Charleston for Columbus, carrying families, railroad employees, and excursionists bound for Independence Day celebrations. About eight miles into the journey, engineer Pat … Read more
LOGAN, W.Va. — In the early 1850s, a remarkable stranger appeared in the rugged Guyandotte River country of what was then western Virginia. He was a lawyer and physician from Philadelphia. But those occupations hardly explained him. He had edited newspapers and magazines and written poetry, fiction, and plays. He had been part of New … Read more
MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — In the 1890s, an unusual vessel began traveling the Ohio River, stopping at towns in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. It had no engine or rudder and was steered by enormous oars. When it reached a community, evangelists climbed onto the roof and sang to draw residents to religious services inside. Known … Read more
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The Greenbrier is entering another chapter in its remarkable history after Friday’s completion of a $500 million joint venture that gives a New York investment firm a controlling interest in the historic West Virginia resort. Kennedy Lewis Investment Management will hold a 51% controlling interest in The Greenbrier, while the … Read more
