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.
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — In the hills and river bottoms of Marion County in north-central West Virginia, stories have long circulated that blur the line between frontier memory and myth. Few are as strange or as enduring as a tale recorded by the late historian Glenn D. Lough in his book “Now and Long Ago: A … Read more
KEYSER, W.Va. — One of America’s most enduring holiday songs—and the animated television specials it inspired—has roots that trace back to the snowy Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia. Though its lyrics never name a place, “Frosty the Snowman” was co-written by a native of northern West Virginia, and its origins are closely tied to the … Read more
PRINCETON, W.Va. — In 1872, when the name Frank James still carried the weight of fear and notoriety across the border states, the older brother of Jesse James quietly rode into Princeton, West Virginia, and walked straight into the Bank of Princeton—not to rob it, but to study it. The incident, preserved in a March … Read more
FRANKFORD, W.Va. — Long before viral videos and roadside attractions, West Virginia produced a creature so outsized that stories about him drifted into legend. Yet, despite decades of exaggeration, the animal at the center of the tale did exist. According to the late Jim Comstock, the renowned West Virginia storyteller and publisher of the West … Read more
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — On a September morning in 1856, attorney James Jackson awoke to learn that one of the people he claimed to be his property had stolen one of his horses and fled for freedom. Jackson was a member of one of Harrison County’s most prominent families and a relative of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. … Read more
CLAYTON, W.Va. — Few West Virginia place names come with a tale as improbable or as theatrical as that of Clayton, a quiet Summers County community whose name traces back to the crash of a hot-air balloon nearly two centuries ago. The year was 1835, a time when flight of any kind carried an air … Read more
FARMINGTON, W.Va. — Before dawn on November 20, 1968, a thunderous explosion ripped through Consolidation Coal Company’s No. 9 mine outside this Marion County town, sending smoke, flames, and debris high into the cold West Virginia sky. Within hours, the tragedy would become known simply as the Farmington Mine Disaster—a shorthand for one of the … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Paranormal tourism is booming across West Virginia, but the increase in ghost tours, haunted history walks, and supernatural-themed events doesn’t necessarily reflect a rise in belief in the paranormal. According to David Sibray, publisher of West Virginia Explorer and a long-time interpreter of Appalachian folklore, the state’s growing ghost-themed tourism sector has … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Department of Tourism has announced plans for a 2026 Veterans Art Show, inviting West Virginia veterans to help commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary through original works of art. The exhibition, part of the statewide America250 celebration, will open on May 9, 2026, in the West Virginia Culture Center Museum Gallery in Charleston, … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With Thanksgiving approaching, a West Virginia family communications expert says the stress that builds long before the holiday can set the stage for arguments at the dinner table, but there are effective ways to keep gatherings calm, meaningful, and focused on connection. Jessica Troilo, associate professor and associate dean for research, engagement, … Read more
