Lore and Legend
The horrors of Skull Run recounted by late West Virginia historian
SKULL RUN, W.Va. — A traveler motoring through the pastures in this wooded section off the Ohio River might have little idea of the dark tales that have arisen there. With its grazing cattle, it seems a world away from warfare, but according to the late historian...
First documented poltergeist in U.S. haunted this historic W.Va. town
MIDDLEWAY, W.Va. — The Wizard Clip haunting, the first documented poltergeist in America, occurred...
Biggest of the year, Beaver Moon will light November sky, recall early West Virginia history
BEAVER, W.Va. — For those who step outside on Wednesday to look up, the full moon that rises over...
The legend of the Vegetable Man: How a bloodsucking alien left its mark on West Virginia
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A lesser-known encounter with an extraordinary Mountain State cryptid is still...
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The five most haunted towns in West Virginia, wild and wonderful?
The tale of West Virginia’s Shades-of-Death Creek may have biblical origin
A West Virginia hike with a haunting: Twin Falls trail honors Polk Hollow legend
Legend of a lost silver lode in Jackson County, West Virginia, might be more than lore
Account claims lost Swift silver mine delved near Big Sandy River in West Virginia
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — One of the most appealing of all Appalachian legends is that of the tale of the Lost Silver Mine of Johnathan Swift. More than 200 years after the alleged events in this story transpired, treasure hunters continue to search for the vein of silver...
Shenandoah folk song: tracing the origins and meaning of a beloved American ballad
HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. — It’s fair to say that almost anyone who has listened to or read the history of American folk songs is familiar with the haunting melody and words of the “Shenandoah” folk song. “Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you, Roll away, you rolling river Oh,...
How an obscure, mysterious writer in West Virginia invented UFO lore as we know it
RIFFLE, W.Va.— The blockbuster Men in Black film franchise might seem a world away from the hills of West Virginia, but the legend starts here in a quiet corner of the Mountain State where an obscure and mysterious writer sat pecking away on his typewriter. Gray...
Mysterious Wetzel County worm invasion wreaked havoc in West Virginia in 1918
LITTLETON, W.Va. — In the summer of 1918, a procession of billions of ravenous “worms” passed through the hills of eastern Wetzel County, spreading disorder wherever it traveled. Some who saw it claim to have been attacked in the march. Others claimed to have lost...