West Virginia is a land steeped in rich lore and enduring legends that captivate the imagination of visitors and locals alike. From the mysterious Mothman sightings in Point Pleasant to the ghostly tales surrounding the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia is a treasure trove of Appalachian folklore. Deep in its misty hollows and rugged mountains, stories of supernatural creatures, haunted locations, and mysteries have been passed down through generations. These chilling yet fascinating tales make West Virginia a top destination for paranormal enthusiasts and fans of folklore. Whether exploring ancient Native American myths or Civil War ghost stories, West Virginia’s legends add an eerie charm to its scenic beauty.
LIBERTY, W.Va. — Eighteenmile Creek wanders quietly through the low hills of northern Putnam County, revealing not in the least any potential for tragedy along its banks. Yet, tragedy visited a group of hunters camping one night in a cave in the early 1800s. Where precisely this horrific incident occurred is not widely known, though … Read more
GRANT TOWN, W.Va. — If you’ve had the opportunity to descend into a West Virginia coal mine, you might have come away with a new sense of the absolute darkness. The coal itself absorbs what little light might reach into the deep. Though the darkness can inspire dread, the nature of mining can lead the … Read more
GRANTSVILLE, W.Va. — Nights in rural Calhoun County are counted among the darkest in West Virginia, so it’s little wonder that the tale of one of the state’s strangest hauntings comes out of its hills. The phantom, which supposedly manifested in the valley of the Little Kanawha River in the late 1800s, is still a … Read more
MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — The iconic LOVE-HATE tattoos that adorn many thuggish fists in the U.S. are tied to one of the most horrific events in West Virginia history and a blockbuster movie based on it. A murderous preacher, a lonely-hearts serial killer, and the infamous state penitentiary at Moundsville all figure into the twisted tale, … Read more
FLATWOODS, W.Va. — In the annals of West Virginia lore, the Rolling meadows near Flatwoods, West Virginia, in Braxton County.[/caption] Descriptions of the event have led some to speculate that what a group of young boys encountered one night on the edge of Flatwoods was not an Highway US-19 wanders through Flatwoods near the alleged … Read more
SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — The tale of the “Ford Ghost” southwest of Summersville, West Virginia, appears several times in local lore. This telling by J.W. Benjamin, published in the W.Va. Heritage Encyclopedia, couches the story in a manner that captures the essence of a good ghost story with the help of Lonnie E. Legge, who might … Read more
PAX, W.Va. — West Virginia is warm enough to welcome family camping at least six months out of the year, and there’s little more exciting about a night under the stars than campfire tales told over roasted marshmallows. As the embers dim, inexplicable sounds come out of the darkness. The crash of a falling branch! … Read more
ELKINS, W.Va. — Lilacs bloom in April and May in West Virginia, which may be a good time to recall one of its best-known ghost stories — that of the tell-tale lilac bush, a story that’s grown into legend, thanks to the late folklorist Ruth Ann Musick. In 1965, Dr. Musick, who taught folklore at … Read more
SAINT MARYS, W.Va. — West Virginia has always been reasonably peaceful. Violence erupts occasionally, though one might say it’s sleepy in a home-spun Andy Griffith Show way. It had been remarkably free of violent crime during the Great Depression when most folks were too occupied with the business of surviving to carry out a murder. … Read more
CENTRALIA, W.Va. — The ghost town of Centralia, with no more than a dozen houses and a country store, might seem one of the most isolated communities in West Virginia (though it’s a drive of only 20 miles from the nearest interstate). Now the site of a popular campground bordering the backwaters of scenic Sutton … Read more
