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.
BEVERLY, W.Va. — Every battlefield has its stories. Some are preserved in military reports and official records, while others endure because generations of local families refused to let them be forgotten. Among the most enduring tales from the Battle of Rich Mountain is that of Confederate Capt. DeLaguel, who, according to Randolph County tradition, spent … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As another round of dangerous summer heat settles across much of the eastern United States, many West Virginians will find relief in the Mountain State’s mountains, forests, and cool streams. Yet history shows that the state has endured some of the nation’s most remarkable heat waves, including two days when temperatures soared … Read more
HOPEVILLE, W.Va. — Towering above the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac, Champe Rocks has drawn onlookers for generations. Along with nearby Seneca Rocks, five miles to the southwest, its sandstone fins are among the most distinctive natural landmarks in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. Unless they stop to read a … Read more
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — It happens often enough that locals know where the conversation is headed. A visitor walks into a shop or hotel and asks a front-desk clerk a seemingly simple question: “So, where is Bath?” The answer usually surprises them: “You’re in Bath.” Although the Morgan County community is widely known as Berkeley … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — From mountaintop resorts and lakeside parks to historic river towns and courthouse squares, West Virginia offers some of Appalachia’s most memorable Independence Day celebrations. This year carries added significance as communities across the Mountain State join the nation in celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Many destinations are expanding their holiday weekends with concerts, … Read more
GRANDVIEW, W.Va. — Most visitors come to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve to hike its rugged trails, paddle its legendary whitewater, or stand in awe at the sweeping views from Grandview. But on Tuesday evening, attention turns from the landscape to the people whose songs, stories, and traditions have echoed through these mountains … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For generations, West Virginia’s steep mountainsides posed one of the state’s greatest challenges for homebuilders. Deep hollows, narrow ridges, and rugged slopes left little level ground for construction, so communities developed along river bottoms and broader ridge tops, where building was easier. Homes climbed hillsides only when necessary, and the state’s dramatic … Read more
WHEELING, W.Va. — For nearly a century, a bronze Native American figure standing atop Wheeling Hill has greeted travelers arriving in the Ohio Valley. Known simply as “The Mingo,” the statue is among Wheeling‘s most recognizable landmarks. Thousands of motorists pass it each year without realizing that the monument represents a people whose history is … Read more
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Long before West Virginia became a state, a woman born in Liverpool, England, crossed the Atlantic, settled on the Virginia frontier, survived widowhood amid one of the region’s most violent conflicts, and became one of the best-known figures in Appalachian history. Her name was Anne Bailey. Known to later generations as … Read more
PENCE SPRINGS, W.Va. — Horses will return to the historic Pence Springs resort grounds this summer when the Alderson Fourth of July Celebration hosts its annual horse show at the former mineral-springs resort, reviving an equestrian tradition that helped define the property more than a century ago. Organizers say the June 27 event, part of … Read more
