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Inspired by historian Cody Straley, publisher David Sibray visits a small Mail Pouch barn on US-119 off the Elk River near Blue Creek.
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West Virginia originals, historic Mail Pouch barns added to national register

Landmarks / Museums

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Authentically West Virginian, Mail Pouch barns are gaining attention nationally. Three roadside barns in West Virginia, painted with the slogan “Chew Mail Pouch,” have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The See Barn in Randolph County, the Wilson Barn in Mason County, and the Fulk-Parsons_Hutchison Barn in Jackson County are among the increasingly … Read more

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Hunter Rohr, 15, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has caught a golden rainbow trout that set state records for length and weight.

Buckhannon teen Rohr catches record-breaking golden rainbow trout

Fishing

SMOKE HOLE, W.Va. — Hunter Rohr, 15, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has caught a golden rainbow trout that set state records for length and weight, according to biologists with the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources.Rohr caught the 28-inch, 11.84-pound trout in the Smoke Hole section of the South Branch of the Potomac River in Pendleton County using … Read more

Appalachian Escapes: Straight out of the ’80s: David Sibray, Nate Adams, and Rachel Adkins swap stories in a replica Pizza Hut. (Photo: Holly K. Clark)

This may look like a 1980s Pizza Hut, but it’s a vacation rental in West Virginia

Communities

Fayetteville, W.Va. — What began as a search for an affordable retirement option has turned into one of southern West Virginia’s most imaginative tourism ventures.Nate Adams and his wife, Rachel Adkins, are the founders of Appalachian Escapes, a growing collection of themed vacation rentals near the New River that combine art, storytelling, and Appalachian culture.“We didn’t … Read more

Matt Born of Reedsville, West Virginia, has caught a new state record chain pickerel.

Reedsville man catches state record chain pickerel in Preston County pond

Fishing

REEDSVILLE, W.Va. — Matt Born, of Reedsville, in Preston County, West Virginia, has caught a new state-record chain pickerel at a pond in the county.He landed the 27.95-inch, 5.65-pound fish on April 21 using a homemade spinner on a four-pound test line, according to biologists with the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources.Born broke his own length … Read more

In the distance, Back Allegheny Mountain is among the ranges that protect Green Bank from radio interference. (Photo courtesy Green Bank Observatory)

Life inside West Virginia’s strange “radio quiet” zone

Attractions

GREEN BANK, W.Va. — The universe whispers in radio waves, and if we listen carefully, we can hear its stories, but to listen, we must remain very quiet.One of the quietest places on Earth, Green Bank provided scientists the silence they needed to conduct their experiments, to listen.Green Bank, West Virginia, is home to the … Read more

Stars spin above the Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory.

Nightfall’s Value: Light pollution can diminish real estate worth in W.Va.

Communities

WINFIELD, W.Va. — An increasing number of new West Virginia residents are being drawn to its rolling hills and quiet valleys to escape brightly lit cities and reclaim the enchantment of pitch‑dark night skies.But while the dark skies represent a precious amenity, the creeping glare of artificial lighting—known as light pollution—is quietly eroding the value … Read more