Fallout 76

In Fallout 76, abandoned mine shaft story-lines play an important role, yet beyond the video game, abandoned coal mine openings in West Virginia pose a real-world problem.While many mine openings have been sealed or gated, historian and publisher David Sibray says abandoned mine openings are a concern for law enforcement in the Mountain State.“Only last … Read more

Editor’s note: The sixth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Forest, based principally on the large, hilly heartland of central West Virginia.When players first set foot outside Vault 76, they’re blinded by sunlight then overwhelmed by the natural beauty that opens around them. This … Read more

A science-fiction author who popularized monsters featured in the Fallout 76 video game also penned a story set in a future West Virginia that survives a nuclear apocalypse.Both the story and the game take place in versions of central Appalachia insulated by mountain ranges that protect it from atomic blasts — explosions that decimate eastern cities … Read more

Braxton County’s monster is unique among legendary West Virginia creatures in that its origins are quite clear: it came from outer space! Beyond that, little is known of the monster, also known as the “Green Monster” or “Flatwoods Monster,” or of what became of it, at least as far as the legend goes, says David … Read more