West Virginia is a land steeped in rich lore and enduring legends that captivate the imagination of visitors and locals alike. From the mysterious Mothman sightings in Point Pleasant to the ghostly tales surrounding the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia is a treasure trove of Appalachian folklore. Deep in its misty hollows and rugged mountains, stories of supernatural creatures, haunted locations, and mysteries have been passed down through generations. These chilling yet fascinating tales make West Virginia a top destination for paranormal enthusiasts and fans of folklore. Whether exploring ancient Native American myths or Civil War ghost stories, West Virginia’s legends add an eerie charm to its scenic beauty.
Few hills and hollers in West Virginia exist without a ghost around to haunt them. Mountaineers love their lore and find plenty of places for restless spirits to walk. Many such tales are based on real events, others on traditions handed down, and Susanna Connelly Holstein, of Jackson County, has collected as many as she’s … Read more
Perhaps there’s no better time than fall to visit the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum: Dry leaves skittering along like skeletal fingers and the howl of autumnal winds add to the inherent eeriness of the edifice that overlooks the historic town of Weston, West Virginia. Halloween marks the height of the season of ghostly ghastliness here where … Read more
Need to stretch your legs Halloween night? Two proponents of active living in southern West Virginia are leading a group hike to what’s been called one of West Virginia’s most chilling locales — the old farm at Grey Flats in Beckley. Levi Moore, senior community captain for Active Southern West Virginia, and David Sibray, a … Read more
Looking for the ideal spooky venue for Halloween in West Virginia? West Virginia Explorer, in cooperation with WVGhosts.com, Saturday unleashed its list of the 10 most popular Halloween attractions in the Mountain State for 2018. Traffic at both websites was increased this year by interest in spooky West Virginia folklore brought on by the Fallout … Read more
WVGhosts.com, a website that archives paranormal encounters from throughout West Virginia, announced today the launch of its 2018 Halloween attractions directory for the Mountain State. The directory includes kid-friendly venues as well as attractions that could cause adults to have nightmares, according to Jonathan Moore, founder of West Virginia Ghosts. “We currently cover 28 venues hosting … Read more
West Virginans love their lore, so it should be no surprise on this most-monstrous-of-weekends that the crowd at the double-feature at The Elk in rural Granny Creek near Flatwoods, WV[/caption] “Right now, I’m expecting at least 200 people to attend the double feature, possibly more. It seemed fitting to show these films on the closest … Read more
Do you believe in monsters? David Sibray hasn’t come clean on whether he does but admits the legend of the Grafton Monster of northern West Virginia is a subject that deserves investigation, at least where folklore is concerned. West Virginia Explorer has released the third in a series of video interviews that regard the lore … Read more
I hardly remember a time when the U.S. 19 expressway didn’t climb Powell Mountain on its journey between Sutton and Beckley in southern West Virginia. Raised in Beckley by parents who hailed from the Monongahela Valley, I spent countless hours on the route visiting grandparents, and later, while attending West Virginia University, spent many more … Read more
The weather was turning cold in mid-November 1966 when stories of a strange creature began to scatter like autumn leaves across West Virginia. Men digging a grave near Clendenin claimed to see “a brown human being” gliding through the trees above. The following night, two couples in a wood near Point Pleasant reported being chased … Read more
WVExplorer.com has published the first of five videos that discuss the backstories for legendary monsters apparently featured in the soon-to-be-released video game Fallout 76. According to publisher David Sibray, who is interviewed by Alfred Clark throughout the series, the strange beasts are among those introduced in 2014 by author Ted Fauster in “The top five … Read more
