West Virginia State Parks Foundation launches online merchandise store
HURRICANE, W.Va. — The West Virginia State Parks Foundation has launched an official online merchandise store, offering supporters a new way to celebrate West Virginia’s parks while directly supporting projects across the state park system. The online shop features T-shirts and sweatshirts…
Most Popular Stories
WorkForce West Virginia to host Feb. 4 virtual job fair as employers seek workers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As West Virginia employers continue to navigate a tight labor market, WorkForce West Virginia will host a statewide virtual…
Helvetia, West Virginia: Where Swiss tradition and Appalachian spirit defy time
HELVETIA, W.Va. — History will tell you the name Helvetia is derived from the Helvetii, a Celtic tribe that once peopled the region now known as…
West Virginia hosts outdoor economy summit as communities rethink economics
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For many West Virginia communities, outdoor recreation is no longer a quality-of-life extra. It’s the new economic…
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West Virginia Pepperoni Roll Museum to open this spring in Fayetteville
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — One of the most iconic foods in West Virginia is getting its own permanent home. Rachel Adkins, best known locally as a…
Milder-than-average winter favored for West Virginia through February
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the calendar passes Midwinter Day on Jan. 15, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say late…
Webinar examines housing stairway safety in growing West Virginia small towns
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As remote work reshapes where Americans choose to live, small-town housing in West Virginia has emerged as a central issue in…
Fountain raised to Marshall U. flight tragedy added to National Register
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — One of West Virginia’s newest historical sites is also one of its most unusual. At the heart of the Marshall University campus, a fountain shaped from a mass of green metal rods stretches upward to the sky. A jet of water erupts from its center and…
Beauty of Hill’s Creek waterfalls in West Virginia hide geologic secrets
HILLSBORO, W.Va. — Hill’s Creek in eastern West Virginia is more than just a pretty stream. Though its waterfalls have won fame worldwide, scientifically speaking, there’s more to the stream than meets the eye. Descending from the Allegheny Mountains in…
Old country cemeteries in Appalachia were shaded rather than grassy
GRANDVIEW, W.Va. — Trees once shaded country cemeteries in Appalachia, according to an archaeologist. As a practical matter, they were not covered in grassy lawns, which would have been challenging to maintain. According to David Rotenizer, an archaeologist and…
Visitors can explore genuine old mountain farm in New River Gorge
HINTON, W.Va. — Far from crowds that visit some of its most popular tourist attractions, the National Park Service at the New River Gorge has preserved an old-time mountain farm, providing visitors a glimpse into the past in West Virginia. Though access isn’t…
American glass museum attracting tourists to Weston, West Virginia
WESTON, W.Va. — Minutes away from one of West Virginia’s most popular tourist destinations—The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum—one of the most extensive glass museums in the U.S. is attracting tourists from across the globe. Complete with a research library and more…
Purchase preserves increased habitat in the Canaan Valley in West Virginia
DAVIS, W.Va. — An almost 2,000-acre property purchased by The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia is preserving habitat adjoining the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and will ensure access to outdoor recreation in the Canaan Valley. Thomas Minney, director of…
Boat tours transport sightseers to view of New River Gorge Bridge
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Sightseers in search of a view of the world-famous New River Gorge Bridge — though without the challenges of whitewater rafting — can board a specialized boat to travel into the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia. The…
Monongahela National Forest sets opening dates for recreation sites
ELKINS, W.Va. — Officials at the Monongahela National Forest have announced the 2024 opening dates for developed recreation sites across the 921,000-acre forest in eastern West Virginia. Campground and picnic shelter reservations for some sites may be made…
New River Gorge national park in West Virginia now attracting more runners
BECKLEY, W.Va. — The fantastic recreational opportunities in the New River Gorge in West Virginia are no longer a secret. Since becoming one of America’s newest national parks, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve has grown even more popular. What does this…
Visitation increased in 2023 for all national park sites in southern W.Va.
Glen Jean, W.Va. — According to park officials, visitation increased across the board at all three national park sites in southern West Virginia in 2023. Visitation remains high and continues to rise at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, which was…
Storied West Virginia monument stands forgotten in the woods
GEORGE TOWN, W.Va. — Finding the monument on a map is difficult enough. Finding it in the steep woodlands is even more challenging. But on a remote hillside at the southeast corner of Marshall County stands a weathered monument that establishes West Virginia’s…
Extraordinary Beartown State Park a classroom for West Virginia geology
DROOP, W.Va. — Among the smallest state parks in West Virginia, 110-acre Beartown State Park is nevertheless among its most fascinating. For decades, it’s inspired visitors as a natural wonder—a densely shaded landscape of ferns and mossy rocks. On the summit of…
WVU supply chain expert explains why Halloween is hitting shelves in August
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Have you noticed Halloween merchandise appearing earlier on racks and shelves at national retail chains like Lowe’s, Walmart, and Family Dollar? A West Virginia University professor who studies supply chain economics says there’s a reason…
Almost Heaven in focus: Here are the most photographed places in West Virginia
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Many of the most photographed places in West Virginia are, perhaps not surprisingly, among the most photographed places in the entire world. It’s little wonder the state is known as “Almost Heaven.” Her countless waterfalls and…
West Virginia to conduct nighttime deer surveys across the Mountain State
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State biologists will conduct spotlight surveys across the Mountain State in August and September to monitor white-tailed deer populations, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The surveys are a critical part of the…
Community rallies to keep Summersville Lake sparkling at Aug. 30 clean-up
SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — Devoted fans of scenic Summersville Lake in central West Virginia are being invited to volunteer for a litter clean-up there in late August. The Plateau Action Network will host a community clean-up at Summersville Lake on Saturday, Aug. 30, from…
A Day for Stillness: Spending International Relaxation Day in West Virginia
MERCER HEALING SPRINGS, W.Va. — International Relaxation Day is observed August 15 across the world, and West Virginia celebrates it for a good reason. West Virginia is a relaxing place. Over time, thanks to the rise of social media, Relaxation Day has grown to a…
The story behind Bernard Coffindaffer’s crosses that dot America’s highways
SUTTON, W.Va. — One night in 1984, the Reverend Bernard Coffindaffer experienced an epiphany. God called him, he said, to erect sets of three crosses across the U.S. to recall Christ’s crucifixion at Calvary. He would raise them wherever he could, and he would…
West Virginia Waterfall Trail surpasses an unexpected 125,000 check-ins
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Waterfall Trail has surpassed 125,000 check-ins since its launch in 2022, according to officials at the West Virginia Department of Tourism. To date, more than 14,000 prizes have been awarded to participants for their waterfall…
Top 10 largest West Virginia cities by population (2025)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia cities and towns vary in size from the state capital at Charleston, the largest, to the tiny town of Thurmond, with five permanent residents. Which are the 10 largest cities? And which are not far behind? Below, we present a ranked…
Solar flowers capture attention along the Kanawha River at Buffalo
BUFFALO, W.Va. — An array of five giant “solar flowers” is capturing the attention of motorists travelling scenic Charleston Road along the Kanawha River. What are they? The curiosities are not only capturing interest—they might be hallmarks of a new, more…
Thirty-three West Virginia companies receive award for global exports
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Thirty-three West Virginia companies that export goods and services have been recognized for expanding into new international markets, according to officials at the West Virginia Department of Commerce. Seven of the businesses honored with the…
Wild and Wonderful: A journey through West Virginia’s most beautiful places
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s a reason West Virginia is called “almost heaven.” In the wild heart of Appalachia, its natural beauty is both raw and refined. A landscape of country roads, it seems untouched by time yet alive with the hum of adventure….
Splash into Fun: The Six Best Waterparks in West Virginia (2025 Guide)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s natural beauty is world-famous, but when summer heat hits, the state’s waterparks become top destinations for families and thrill-seekers looking to cool off with some splashing fun. Whether you want a giant inflatable obstacle…
How Devil Anse Hatfield became a bold symbol of change in Appalachia
LOGAN, W.Va. — By the time the world would come to know him as “Devil Anse,” Anderson Hatfield had already left a significant mark on West Virginia—not for bloodshed or bullets, but for business. Long before the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud erupted into violence,…
The writer who captured Appalachian tragedy—and couldn’t escape it
MILTON, W.Va. — Breece D’J Pancake soared like a meteor through the American literary universe in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Kurt Vonnegut wrote of him, “I give you my word of honor that he is merely the best writer—the most sincere writer I’ve ever read.” Who…
West Virginia Film Office marks thrilling anniversary with Hollywood momentum
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Film Office quietly turned three years old in 2025, but the celebration is far from low-key. Since its relaunch in 2022, the office has emerged as a powerhouse of opportunity in West Virginia filmmaking, helping turn the Mountain…
The daring Civil War tale of Samantha Jane Atkeson of Putnam County
BUFFALO, W.Va. — Samantha Jane Atkeson was a teenager when she had to face down Union soldiers searching her home in Buffalo, West Virginia, on the Kanawha River in Putnam County. A few torn and stained pages of her journal are preserved in the Clements Library in Ann…
Freedom in Sight: Monroe County slaves risked all to flee to Union lines
UNION, W.Va. — While slavery had only a minor impact in most of what’s now West Virginia before the Civil War, slaves represented about 10 percent of the people residing in Monroe County at the beginning of the conflict. The importance of slave labor to the…
Hewn log cabins are West Virginia’s ultimate historic architecture
SAULSVILLE, W.Va. — Perhaps no other form of architecture is more strongly associated with West Virginia than the old-fashioned log cabin or what might more appropriately be called the hewn-timber house. New England has saltboxes, and the South has Greek Revivals, but…
The 12 oldest towns in West Virginia that still exist
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — While parts of the mountainous interior of West Virginia weren’t settled until the early 1900s, two of its present incorporated communities were established before the American Revolution, and 10 were bustling before the 1800s….
The house that tobacco built: Mail Pouch campaign launched in West Virginia
WHEELING, W.VA. — Perhaps the most fantastic Victorian residence ever built in West Virginia was that of the founder of the company known for Mail Pouch Tobacco. Samuel Bloch, co‑founder and president of Bloch Brothers Tobacco Co., spared little expense in 1891 while…
Dreamland murder-suicide house in Kenova, West Virginia, demolished
KENOVA, W.Va. — Every summer for nearly a century, people have flocked to Dreamland Pool in the small city of Kenova, West Virginia. On US-60 in Wayne County, it’s the first landmark drivers encounter when entering West Virginia from Kentucky. It’s also…
Forgotten sister of Stonewall Jackson defied her family and paid the price
BEVERLY, W.Va. — Most Civil War enthusiasts are familiar with the name Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, the iconic Confederate hero who died in the middle of the war from wounds received during the Battle of Chancellorsville. But few are aware of the story of Jackson’s…
Tales of the Sliding Hill Ghosts are not forgotten by an older generation
HARTFORD CITY, W.Va. — Old-timers still tell of the ghosts that are said to haunt Sliding Hill in Mason County, though only the very oldest now recall it. But a historian who hopes to memorialize the tale says there’s reason to believe much of the legend is…
The story behind “Chevaux de Frise” in rural Washburn, West Virginia
WASHBURN, W.Va. — From Otter Slide Creek to Hell-for-Certain Branch, many streams in West Virginia boast interesting placenames, but the name of this scenic brook in Ritchie County is remarkable. Locals call it “shiver-dee-freeze” or something similar,…
December deer, bear hunting seasons underway in West Virginia
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — December hunting season for deer and bear in West Virginia is underway, according to officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. Hikers, bikers, hunters, and other explorers of the outdoors in West Virginia are reminded to wear…
Geologic anomaly in southern West Virginia visible only from the air
SINKS GROVE, W.Va. — Unknown to many residents of the Greenbrier Valley in southern West Virginia, a six-mile crack in the surface of the earth has been hiding beneath their feet. Visible only from the air, the “Monitor Lineament” is one of the strangest…
West Virginia to stock upper Elk River in pilot winter trout program
WEBSTER SPRINGS, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources will stock trout on the upper Elk River and its back fork in November and December as part of a pilot program to evaluate economic impact. Though in one of the more remote reaches of the state near…
West Virginia is ideally suited to this easy weight-loss exercise
BECKLEY, W.Va. — With its walkable towns and seemingly limitless hiking trails, West Virginia is ideally suited to “rucking,” an extremely accessible exercise growing in popularity both as a group pursuit and a solitary endeavor. Rucking, or simply walking…
W.Va. reminds hunters about furbearer seasons, river otter project
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the raccoon hunting season underway, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is reminding hunters and trappers that the state’s various furbearer trapping and small game hunting seasons will open on Nov. 4. Small game hunting and…
West Virginia stocks 43 waters during first week of fall trout stocking
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources stocked 43 during the first week of fall trout stocking, and two anglers have already entered valid tag numbers into the Monster Trout Contest. According to officials, during the weeks of October 16 and…
Snowshoe Mountain to open skiing, snowboarding by Thanksgiving
SNOWSHOE, W.Va. — In advance of a strong El Niño, officials at Snowshoe Mountain have announced plans to open skiing and snowboarding on the day before Thanksgiving, weather permitting, featuring a new chairlift and an action-packed 2023-2024 events calendar. Snowshoe…
W.Va. sets important 2023-’24 migratory game bird season dates
FARMINGTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced that new hunting regulations for migratory game birds will go into effect on Sept. 1 in accord with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s annual guidelines. The new regulations include an…
Partners work to protect cliffs at Summersville, New River Gorge
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Comprising one of the most famous rock climbing destinations in the U.S., the cliffs that outcrop along the gorges of the New, Gauley, and Meadow rivers in southern West Virginia attract thousands of rock climbers annually. However, the…
Resort introduces half-day driving tours of New River Gorge
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — An outdoor-adventure resort based in the New River Gorge region in West Virginia has added guided driving tours to its line-up of travel adventures. Adjacent to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Adventures on the Gorge has developed a…
West Virginia angler catches state record longnose gar
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — According to state officials, an 11-year record for the longest longnose gar caught in West Virginia has been broken. The record-breaking fish, which measured 53.62 inches, was caught by Rich Chapman of Ashton, West Virginia, on July 3, 2023, in…
W.Va. asks hunters to review new 2023-’24 hunting, trapping laws
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources are reminding hunters to review several essential changes to hunting seasons for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and black bear before their seasons open this autumn. Included in…
Recent Posts
Milder-than-average winter favored for West Virginia through February
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the calendar passes Midwinter Day on Jan. 15, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say late winter in West Virginia is likely to lean milder than average overall, even as the Mountain State remains vulnerable to…
Webinar examines housing stairway safety in growing West Virginia small towns
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As remote work reshapes where Americans choose to live, small-town housing in West Virginia has emerged as a central issue in the state’s economic revival. Communities once defined by vacant upper floors and underused downtown buildings are seeing…
The house that vanished overnight: West Virginia’s Neerly House haunting
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — At least two mysteries tangle in the tale of the Neerly house. What happened to the house? What happened to “old man Neerly? And where did the late folklorist Ruth Ann Musick encounter the legend? The following version of the West Virginia tale…
Morrisey awards $2.1 million for business-ready sites in 23 W.Va. counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ahead of the start of the 2026 legislative session, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has awarded $2.1 million in grants aimed at preparing “business-ready” development sites across 23 counties in West Virginia. In an announcement released Monday from…