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.
Older folks who live in the valley of Paint Creek may recall legends about how the stream was named: an ancient warpath followed it through the mountains, and warriors celebrated their battles by painting trees along the trail a bloody red. According to late archaeologist Sigfus Olafson, the stories were true. The route was actually … Read more
It might sound like a joke, but it’s true that a circus clown helped relocate the West Virginia capital from Wheeling to Charleston, its present location, in the late 1800s. They say that finding a location for the seat of government had been a bit of a circus anyway, and the capital city had shifted … Read more
DUNKARD BOTTOM, W.Va. — The history of West Virginia is filled with stories of religious diversity — of hermits and prophets who escaped the clamor and confines of civilization. Beyond the edge of the American frontier, in what would become West Virginia, the mountains west of the Blue Ridge promised both freedom and isolation in … Read more
BURNING SPRINGS, W.Va. — Curious motorists traveling the valley of the Little Kanawha River southwest of Parkersburg may or may not stop at historic Burning Springs. There, a defunct country museum filled with oil-drilling paraphernalia may cause curious travelers to slow down, but too few stop. The museum itself is a bit of a mystery. … Read more
Historians once assumed that West Virginia had been shaded by a vast unbroken forest, but an expert on old forests in the Mountain State says the region was, instead, a patchwork landscape of woodlands and fields opened by Native Americans. “I’ve heard it said that a squirrel could run limb-to-limb across West Virginia without touching … Read more
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 Grave of Julia Jackson near Tyree’s … Read more
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
