How the West Virginia town of "Hundred" got its name
HUNDRED, W.Va.—There was a time in the 1850s, soon after completion of the B&O Railroad, when passengers would clamber to the car windows to...
Restoration of historic Blue Sulphur Springs pavilion expected soon
One of the state's most evocative historic landmarks, the pavilion at Blue Sulphur Springs could be restored to its original appearance by 2023 and...
Ancient stone walls on Armstrong Mountain no old-timer's tale
If you grew up listening to the lore of old-timers in southern West Virginia, chances are you've heard of mysterious stone walls atop Armstrong...
"Mudwall" Jackson led failed attack on fort in central W.Va.
During the first years of the U.S. Civil War, marauding bands of guerillas roamed the hills in what's now central West Virginia. Most were...
Scholars debunk myth of prehistoric giants in West Virginia
This month, I had the opportunity to talk with the lead curator at Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex about a prevailing myth in West Virginia...
Civil War-era mystery of Burning Springs remains unsolved
BURNING SPRINGS, W.Va. — Curious motorists traveling the valley of the Little Kanawha River southwest of Parkersburg may or may not stop at historic...
Bizzare 'Wild West' massacre erupted in Cowen, W.Va., in 1905
Cowen today is a sleepy town of 500, perhaps best known for its location near a quiet lake, but it was hardly so in...
Word "hillbilly" once a term of endearment in Appalachia
According to some authorities, the word "hillbilly" was a term of endearment in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1800s, though it later developed...
Lost W.Va. saltworks known to only a few locals, adventurers
The legend of the lost Mercer Saltworks near the New River in southern West Virginia may be remembered now by only a few locals...
New River Gorge region in W.Va. once a bloody "Wild West"
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — For millions of tourists, Fayette County and its New River Gorge is a destination for healing and rejuvenation—a wonderland of hiking...
Legend of ancient warpath along the W.Va. Turnpike is fact
Older folks who live in the valley of Paint Creek may recall legends about how the stream was named: an ancient warpath followed it...
Mass grave at Lewisburg unique among Confederate monuments
LEWISBURG, W.Va.—Of the many historic landmarks in Lewisburg, perhaps none is more remarkable than a cross-shaped Confederate grave on a hill above the city's...
