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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.

Culture

Sibray says enthusiasm for West Virginia ramp festivals growing

by Clyde Craig

RICHWOOD, W.Va. — Enthusiasm for attending ramp festivals in West Virginia is growing along with tourism, says the publisher of the state’s leading travel publications. More than ever, visitors are searching for information on ramps and ramp festivals online at West Virginia Explorer Magazine, according to publisher David Sibray, where more than 50,000 interactions have … Read more

The historic hotel standing at Burnt House occupies the site where an earlier residence burned and gave the Ritchie County community its name, according to an early county history. Charred material reportedly found beneath the later building provides additional evidence of an earlier fire at the site. (WVExplorer Illustration)
Culture

West Virginia’s Burnt House boasts a famous ghost story, but an old history tells another tale

by David Sibray

BURNT HOUSE, W.Va. — For generations, the unusual name of this Ritchie County community has been explained by a dark tale involving murdered travelers, a burning tavern, and an enslaved woman whose ghost reportedly haunted the site. But one of the county’s earliest published histories tells a substantially different story, raising questions about how much … Read more