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The Frontier-to-Statehood Preservation Fund will provide up to 10 grants of as much as $100,000 each for the rehabilitation of certified historic structures dating to 1871 or earlier.
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Grants of up to $100,000 available in W.Va. for pre-1872 preservation projects

Economic Development

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As part of the nation’s 250th-anniversary commemoration, officials at the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia have announced a new grant program to support the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings tied to the state’s early history.The Frontier-to-Statehood Preservation Fund, funded through the National Park Service’s Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program, … Read more

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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

Mary Bemis at Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting

West Virginia bottler wins silver award at international water competition 

Culture

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Le Sage Natural Water, of Lesage, has been awarded a silver medal for its purified water at the 36th annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition in the eastern panhandle of the Mountain State.The world’s most prestigious and longest-running water competition, more than 100 entries from five continents competed this year … Read more

West Virginia uniquely prepared to dominate 21st-century outdoor economy

Communities

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is uniquely prepared to dominate in the 21st-century outdoor economy of the U.S., thanks to its unmatched potential for outdoor recreation, says a spokesman for The Nature Conservancy.The state is attracting new residents in record numbers as a result of its capacity for outdoor living, an economic reality as the … Read more