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.
QUIET DELL, W.Va. — On the morning of March 18, 1932, Harry Powers plummeted through the gallows at the West Virginia Penitentiary and dangled for 11 minutes before being pronounced dead. His body hung limp, his lips still, never revealing his thoughts about the violent murders with which he had been charged. Who was Harry … Read more
NEW MANCHESTER, W.Va. — Some say that the ghost of Judge John Hoke Reddick still haunts his grave, and that’s not hard to believe, given its remarkable nature. The judge had himself buried in two states—half in Virginia (now West Virginia) and half in Pennsylvania. Though the state boundary has shifted slightly west since he … Read more
THOMAS, W.Va. — The Allegheny Mountains in eastern West Virginia grow treacherous in winter—and hardly more so than along the western front of that range, which bears the brunt of blizzards coming off the Monongahela Valley. In 1885, twenty-year-old James B. Helmick came face-to-face with the savagery of the Alleghenies while hunting on Backbone Mountain. … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — What makes for a good arts community? Good arts communities are those in which affordable housing, entrepreneurial spirit, and the availability of arts venues—such as galleries and coffeehouses—are reversing economic downturn, according to John Villani, the author of “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America.” “In places that got their start … Read more
SAINT ALBANS, W.Va. — Might Edgar Allen Poe have written his poem “The Raven” while visiting the Kanawha Valley? Though nothing’s been proven, the mansion in which Poe might have lodged is named Raven’s Court. Jim Mullooly, of Avella, Pa., once reported to the newspaper that on a visit to Georgetown, Pa., he once saw … Read more
CAMP CREEK, W.Va. — Only a few local historians may remember the obscure and chilling tale of Charles Anderson Mills, more infamously known in the neighborhood of Nubbins Ridge in Mercer County as “Likker Charlie.” A ruthless moonshiner who, on his deathbed, confessed to the violent murders of dozens of victims, Mills and two of … Read more
MASONTOWN, W.Va. — The strange story of “the day they knocked a hole in the Cheat River” has been passed down for more than a century and is one of northern West Virginia’s obscure but enduring legends. Some historians have questioned whether the tale out of Preston County is historical or just astonishingly good. The … Read more
PADEN CITY, W.Va. — Able to produce upwards of a million marbles a day, Marble King has been a staple of industry in northern West Virginia since it was formed in 1949, and it remains the only domestic marble manufacturer in the nation. According to president and CEO Beri Fox, with 28 full-time employees, it … Read more
COTTAGEVILLE, W.Va. — Tales of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyon might seem far removed from West Virginia, but it turns out there’s a long-established link between the folk hero of the American-Canadian border country and the Ohio Valley in West Virginia. As to when Paul Bunyon left his mark in West Virginia, none now know, but … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — After a five-year pause, the outdoor drama “Honey in the Rock” is returning to the stage at the Cliffside Amphitheatre at Grandview as part of an initiative to reach national park visitors and dedicated local patrons. According to general manager Gayle Oaks, along with “Hatfields & McCoys,” the musical drama will be … Read more
