West Virginia

West Virginia became the thirty-fifth state in 1863, separating from Virginia during the Civil War. Its history has been shaped by Indigenous peoples, frontier settlement, the conflict over slavery and secession, and the development of railroads, coal mining, manufacturing, and communities throughout the Appalachian Mountains.

West Virginia is also an important part of my family history. My father was born in Martinsburg, and his family’s roots connect me personally to the state. My Hometown Stories explore its historic towns, battlefields, industries, landscapes, and the places that help me better understand the world from which my father came.