West Virginia culture is a captivating blend of rich Appalachian traditions and vibrant high culture infused with the jazz of surrounding U.S. cities like Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. The state is renowned for its deep-rooted Appalachian heritage, which is showcased through folk music, storytelling, and traditional crafts such as quilting and woodcarving. Visitors can experience this authentic culture at local festivals and heritage museums throughout the Mountain State. At the same time, West Virginia also embraces high culture, with world-class performances at the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, acclaimed theater productions at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, and art exhibitions at the Huntington Museum of Art. This unique mix of mountain traditions and refined artistic offerings makes West Virginia a true cultural gem in the heart of Appalachia.
UNION, W.Va. — While slavery had only a minor impact in most of what’s now West Virginia before the Civil War, slaves represented about 10 percent of the people residing in Monroe County at the beginning of the conflict. The importance of slave labor to the local economy certainly influenced the political opinions of that … Read more
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — While parts of the mountainous interior of West Virginia weren’t settled until the early 1900s, two of its present incorporated communities were established before the American Revolution, and 10 were bustling before the 1800s. Particularly along the Ohio and Potomac rivers, settlement began early, often before indigenous residents had wholly retreated … Read more
SAULSVILLE, W.Va. — Perhaps no other form of architecture is more strongly associated with West Virginia than the old-fashioned log cabin or what might more appropriately be called the hewn-timber house. New England has saltboxes, and the South has Greek Revivals, but the Virginian frontier, including what’s now West Virginia, produced a habitation that had … Read more
WHEELING, W.VA. — Perhaps the most fantastic Victorian residence ever built in West Virginia was that of the founder of the company known for Mail Pouch Tobacco. Samuel Bloch, co‑founder and president of Bloch Brothers Tobacco Co., spared little expense in 1891 while creating the elaborate 20-room mansion on National Road in Pleasant Valley, which … Read more
KENOVA, W.Va. — Every summer for nearly a century, people have flocked to Dreamland Pool in the small city of Kenova, West Virginia. On US-60 in Wayne County, it’s the first landmark drivers encounter when entering West Virginia from Kentucky. It’s also the region’s largest surviving public swimming pool and has long been a source … Read more
BEVERLY, W.Va. — Most Civil War enthusiasts are familiar with the name Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, the iconic Confederate hero who died in the middle of the war from wounds received during the Battle of Chancellorsville. But few are aware of the story of Jackson’s Unionist sister, Laura Jackson Arnold. The siblings grew up in challenging … Read more
HARTFORD CITY, W.Va. — Old-timers still tell of the ghosts that are said to haunt Sliding Hill in Mason County, though only the very oldest now recall it. But a historian who hopes to memorialize the tale says there’s reason to believe much of the legend is true. “I heard the story from my great-grandmother,” … Read more
WASHBURN, W.Va. — From Otter Slide Creek to Hell-for-Certain Branch, many streams in West Virginia boast interesting placenames, but the name of this scenic brook in Ritchie County is remarkable. Locals call it “shiver-dee-freeze” or something similar, though its origin is undeniably French and hard for the typical English speaker to pronounce — Chevaux de … Read more
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — John James Davis was shocked to learn that the Virginia Convention had endorsed secession on April 17, 1861. A Clarksburg lawyer, he was devoted to the Union and believed the decision was wrong. A few days later, he sent off a letter to his fiancée, Anna Kennedy, who lived in Baltimore with … Read more
BURLINGTON, W.Va. — Railroads in West Virginia are most often associated with the export of coal and timber, but at least one small railway in the state’s eastern panhandle was built for fruit. The Twin Mountains and Potomac Railroad, otherwise known as the “TM&P,” was built to carry fruit from orchards near Burlington, West Virginia, … Read more
