History / Prehistory
Few may recall 1779 Pauley massacre fought in the shadow of East River Mountain
OAKVALE, W.Va.— Motorists traveling along US 460 east of
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History / Prehistory
The history and prehistory of West Virginia reveal a fascinating journey from ancient Native American cultures to its role in America’s story. Prehistoric sites, such as the Grave Creek Mound, showcase the region’s mound-building cultures that left behind impressive burial mounds and earthworks. Later, European settlers ventured into the rugged Appalachian Mountains, forging frontier communities and thriving amidst challenging terrain. During the American Civil War, West Virginia famously seceded from Virginia to remain loyal to the Union, becoming the 35th state in 1863. Coal mining played a vital role in shaping West Virginia’s economy and identity, fueling America’s industrial growth and leaving a lasting legacy in the state’s communities and culture. Today, visitors can explore historic towns, Civil War battlefields, and preserved pioneer homesteads that tell the rich, enduring story of West Virginia’s resilient spirit and deep mountain roots.
History / Prehistory
Ancient stone walls on Armstrong Mountain are no old-timer’s tale
MONTGOMERY, W.Va. — If you grew up in southern West Virginia, you might have heard old-timers speak of the mysterious stone walls on Armstrong Mountain, strange ruins hidden in the woods just beyond the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Handed down as fireside tales, stories of their construction and purpose may have become … Read more
History / Prehistory
Did Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis secretly meet in West Virginia?
PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Did Abraham Lincoln and Philippi Covered Bridge[/caption] Without a word exchanged, the troops sealed off both ends of the covered bridge spanning the Tygart Valley River. Civilians were ordered indoors. Wagons and riders were halted well away from the bridge. There were no bugle calls, no shouted commands, no skirmishing—only the clink … Read more
History / Prehistory
Here are the top 10 winter snows that shaped West Virginia history
BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginia can be a snowy place. Though not nearly as snowy as Maine or Alaska, it does snow for much of winter, and winter storms have shaped its culture. This is especially so in the lofty Allegheny Mountains, where most of its ski resorts are located. Several key moments, both natural and … Read more
History / Prehistory
Frank James entered a West Virginia bank in 1872 — and left without robbing it
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
History / Prehistory
Runaway Virginia slave deceived by rescuer changed public opinion in Ohio
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
History / Prehistory
Farmington Mine Disaster still echoes across West Virginia coal country
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
History / Prehistory
Prehistoric burial mound in West Virginia contains remarkable secret
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Rising above the end of this city’s central avenue, the prehistoric Criel Mound—one of the largest burial mounds in West Virginia—has long captivated both onlookers and archaeologists alike. Over the years, its origins have sparked countless theories—ranging from tales of mythic giants to speculation about a lost tribe of Israelites. In … Read more
History / Prehistory
Prehistoric West Virginia was never a so-called “uninhabited” hunting ground
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When I moved to West Virginia in 2013, just out of grad school and anxious to learn more about the local archaeology, it didn’t take long to be introduced to the idea that West Virginia was too rugged and remote for Native Americans to live here permanently. I was told that the … Read more
History / Prehistory
The Confederacy’s last major offensive in West Virginia: the Battle of Bulltown
BULLTOWN, W.Va. — On a quiet October morning in 1863—the year Abraham Lincoln declared slaves free—the hills above the Little Kanawha River erupted in gunfire. Col. William L. “Mudwall” Jackson and his troops launched what they hoped would be a decisive strike against a Union fort on a knoll above the bridge. What followed was … Read more