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.
Historians working with a landmark tavern near America’s newest national park are clarifying the role of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson at the site, which served as a headquarters for northern and southern armies during the Civil War. To speak more clearly to younger audiences, Drew A. Gruber, executive director of
More than a century has passed since West Virginia native Anna Jarvis planned the first Mother’s Day service, and the second Sunday of May has never been the same. Here are five things you may not know about the big spring holiday that’s rooted in the Mountain State. 1. Spring 2021 marks West Virginia’s 113th … Read more
A team of horses races across winding mountain roads, urged onward by the crack of a stage driver’s whip. Inside the coach, six weary passengers started their two-day journey at 1 p.m. that afternoon. They are tired and hungry and are eagerly awaiting their next stop, where they can disembark, stretch their legs, get some … Read more
The tale of the Flatwoods Monster has attracted the curious to West Virginia since 1952 after rumors of an alleged encounter with an alien exploded across the national airwaves. And interest in the tale has never quite died down. According to the legend, on a September evening in the hills above Flatwoods, West Virginia, a … Read more
The Civil War center at Shepherd University is hosting a series of free programs online beginning April 17 to help inform, educate, and entertain during the COVID-19 outbreak. Dr. James Broomall, director of the university’s George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, said the eight-program evening series has been a pleasure … Read more
Maps donated to the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War will give researchers in the Battle of Antietam a clearer picture of the military movements that took place on September 17, 1862, according to Potomac region historians. Donated through the Shepherd University Foundation by Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield, the maps … Read more
Residents of the mountain counties of West Virginia have traditionally weathered the ravages of communicable diseases with some success. Isolation here flattened the peak of most outbreaks, with the notable exception of the air-borne “Influenza of 1918.” Outside the mountain counties, epidemics might destroy without restraint, and the cholera outbreak of 1832-1834, which battered the … Read more
What was Christmas like during the Civil War? Find out during the fourth annual Civil War Christmas at Shepherd University on Saturday, December 7, from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sponsored by the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War and the Department of History, the event will take place in conjunction with … Read more
The West Virginia University Mountaineer is not just a mascot: it’s a symbol of West Virginia history and identity embraced throughout the Mountain State. Rosemary Hathaway, folklorist and associate professor of English in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, explores the spirit of the Mountaineer in her new book, Mountaineers Are Always Free. Published … Read more
A new generation is discovering the history of the West Virginia Mine Wars, says a scholar who will speak as a guest lecturer Oct. 3 at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, West Virginia. Waged between 1912 and 1921, the conflict erupted as miners fought to secure better working conditions in coal … Read more
