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.
The tale of the Flatwoods Monster has attracted the curious to West Virginia since 1952 after rumors of an alleged encounter with an alien exploded across the national airwaves. And interest in the tale has never quite died down. According to the legend, on a September evening in the hills above Flatwoods, West Virginia, a … Read more
The Civil War center at Shepherd University is hosting a series of free programs online beginning April 17 to help inform, educate, and entertain during the COVID-19 outbreak. Dr. James Broomall, director of the university’s George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, said the eight-program evening series has been a pleasure … Read more
Maps donated to the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War will give researchers in the Battle of Antietam a clearer picture of the military movements that took place on September 17, 1862, according to Potomac region historians. Donated through the Shepherd University Foundation by Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield, the maps … Read more
Residents of the mountain counties of West Virginia have traditionally weathered the ravages of communicable diseases with some success. Isolation here flattened the peak of most outbreaks, with the notable exception of the air-borne “Influenza of 1918.” Outside the mountain counties, epidemics might destroy without restraint, and the cholera outbreak of 1832-1834, which battered the … Read more
What was Christmas like during the Civil War? Find out during the fourth annual Civil War Christmas at Shepherd University on Saturday, December 7, from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sponsored by the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War and the Department of History, the event will take place in conjunction with … Read more
The West Virginia University Mountaineer is not just a mascot: it’s a symbol of West Virginia history and identity embraced throughout the Mountain State. Rosemary Hathaway, folklorist and associate professor of English in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, explores the spirit of the Mountaineer in her new book, Mountaineers Are Always Free. Published … Read more
A new generation is discovering the history of the West Virginia Mine Wars, says a scholar who will speak as a guest lecturer Oct. 3 at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, West Virginia. Waged between 1912 and 1921, the conflict erupted as miners fought to secure better working conditions in coal … Read more
Falling leaves in autumn reveal a landscape in which old farms, ghost towns, and other historic sites have been cloaked through summer. That’s why it’s a favorite time for rangers and historians in southern West Virginia who wait all year for the region’s annual Hidden History Weekend, during which more than a dozen special hikes … Read more
West Virginia Archives and History will present a series of four hour-long lectures regarding West Virginia during the Civil War on Saturday, Sept. 28, in Charleston, West Virginia. During an hour-long break between the morning and afternoon sessions, attendees will have an opportunity to inspect Civil War artifacts from the personal collections of presenters and … Read more
Survival on the Appalachian frontier required unique skills around which the fourth annual Mountain Games competition September 21 at Heritage Farm near Huntington, West Virginia, has been built. A Smithsonian affiliate, the farm—which includes 15 hewn-log structures, seven award-winning museums, an artisan center, and five log-cabin inns—has expanded the fourth-annual competition to include eight events, … Read more
