Wild and Wonderful: West Virginia

06/21/2024

Happy West Virginia day. 💙💛

06/20/2024

🌄 Happy West Virginia Day! 🌄

Today, we celebrate the birth of our beautiful Mountain State, where the rolling hills, majestic mountains, and winding rivers tell a story of resilience and pride. From the stunning views of the New River Gorge to the rich history of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is a treasure trove of natural beauty and cultural heritage.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the hardworking people, the vibrant communities, and the unique traditions that make West Virginia truly wild and wonderful. Share your favorite West Virginia memories, photos, and stories in the comments below!

Happy 161st Birthday, West Virginia! 🎉

06/18/2024

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on our weekly engagement list! 🎉 Gloria Norman, Vicky Fox, John Larabee, Tom Turpin, Tina Fragale

06/17/2024

Let’s see some sunrise photos! Post your best sunrise photo taken in WV in the comments ⬇️ ☀️

06/15/2024

A new day means a new photo contest! Winner will receive a donation in their name to the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Society and will be used as our profile picture for 2 weeks!

Share your favorite photo of your pet enjoying nature in West Virginia! It can be any pet as long as the photo is taken in West Virginia.

Must post your photo in the comment section of this post, tag two friends, and must like our page Wild and Wonderful: West Virginia.

The photo with the most reactions will be chosen as the winner.

Contest ends June 26, 2024

06/14/2024

Congratulations to Dee Truman for winning our WV photo contest! Dee’s photo will be featured as our Facebook cover photo for the entire remaining month of June! 🎉 👏

06/14/2024

🌄 Explore the Charm of West Virginia! 🌿

Discover the majestic Appalachian Mountains, wander through verdant forests, and relax by tranquil rivers. West Virginia is a paradise for adventure seekers and those in need of a peaceful retreat. Enjoy hiking, whitewater rafting, and the unique charm of our historic small towns. Every corner of West Virginia offers stunning views and unforgettable experiences.

Embark on your next adventure in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia! 🌟

06/13/2024

A tipple boy at Turkey K**b Mine in Macdonald, West Virginia, 1908.

06/12/2024

New River Gorge Bridge

The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge 3,030 feet long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia, in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States. With an arch 1,700 feet long, the New River Gorge Bridge was the world's longest single-span arch bridge for 26 years; it is now the fifth longest . Part of U.S. Route 19, its construction marked the completion of Corridor L of the Appalachian Development Highway System. An average of 16,200 motor vehicles cross the bridge each day.

06/12/2024

Amazing photo taken by Tina Paxton Brannon in Gauley Bridge, WV!

06/10/2024

—contest ended—

‼️Cover photo contest! ‼️

Comment one of Your favorite pictures You have taken here in beautiful West Virginia. The picture that receives the most likes, or heart reactions by this Friday will be featured as the cover photo for this page for the next month!

06/09/2024

If Travelers who have never been to West Virginia before ask You where they should visit, what would You recommend?

06/08/2024

Did You know?

The smallest town in West Virginia is Thurmond, WV. According to 2020 census data from reputable sources, including The Travel and WV Tourism, Thurmond, a quaint town in Fayette County, boasts a tiny population of just five residents. (Depending on the source of the census report it could vary between 3-5 people.) Interestingly, a single family calls this former railway depot town home, and a significant 80% of the town's land is owned and preserved by the National Park Service. These photos show the desolate town and the Mayor, Melanie Dragan.

Photos by Rick Barbero/The Register-Herald

06/07/2024

☀️It was the perfect sunny day for a Salt-Making Tour at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works in Charleston, WV. This included taste testing a variety of blended herb flavored salts, chocolate and caramel sauces, and other goodies to end the tour. 🤤
This incredible place in the Kanawha River Valley is rich with generational and geological history. Picturesque fields of grass and cows surrounded by rolling hills welcome visitors.
Discover how salt is harvested from a vast & ancient sea located deep under Our Appalachian soil. Learn about the Seventh (7th) generation descendants who run and operate this place just as Their ancestors did before Them!

A cozy shop is situated inside where You can purchase locally made Appalachian goods and products ranging from cooking ingredients/supplies, bath and body items, to incense, and much more!

For those who enjoy Ramps, We highly recommend purchasing Your own jar of Ramp Salt. It was one of the favorites of the day and will quickly become a kitchen staple for fellow Ramp enthusiasts.

Where are some unique places in WV We should visit? Leave a comment below!

-Sam
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Find Them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok

Or
visit Their website and online shop:

https://jqdappalachianmercantile.com

🔔 🚨 Be sure to follow Wild and Wonderful: West Virginia for more around the State experiences! ‼️🔔

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04/30/2024

Hey, Point Pleasant and neighboring communities! 👋 We're here! We exist, but its getting more and more difficult to keep our storefront business alive, and here's why:

Since moving from an online and wholesale shop, we've acquired so much more overhead including mortgage and utilities, multiple insurance policies, B&O taxes, W2 employee expenses, maintenance and upkeep, and the unexpected expenses like vehicles driving into your building (twice) 🤪.

Yesterday, we had ZERO sales in our storefront. Downtown is busy with tourists, but our end of the street is dead. 💀 We've shortened hours because it's impossible to pay employees on a negative income.

If this wasn't our 8th year in business, I would think that our products simply aren't good enough. But they are...for so many people outside of this town. We stay afloat by shipping our products to others boutiques. We stock stores as far out as California and Alaska.

Tourists are typically surprised to find us, and are complimentary of the shop. Locals...ya'll, I have friends and family that have NEVER stepped foot in our store. And, you don't have to, but I'm sure many of you have benefited from our donations: youth leagues, band, individual fundraisers and so much more.

Right now, in my inbox, someone is asking us to set up for a local event. Last month, we provided a hands on learning workshop for Wahama High School students. It's so rewarding to be able to give back, but the literal absence of our community is disheartening. I finished work early yesterday and then spent the next five hours waiting...

We have a handful of regulars that are incredible at showing up, but where is the other 99% of ya'll? We don't have a huge selection of products, because if you show up and look into the kitchen, you'll see that I'm back there making everything by hand. It's a shame that so many people still have no idea that we exist here, and it's a bigger shame that so many people I've known personally have never made the trip down. 💔

Our city doesn't provide help to businesses like Pomeroy and Gallipolis have with their small businesses. If you are a business owner and have received help from your city in any way (grants, advertising, etc), can you please leave a comment 🙏 about how your city helped?

Are storefronts in small towns a lost cause? 🤔 Do we close the retail and only exist online to cut costs? What do you think???

04/16/2024

Did you know that the West Virginia State Capitol building was ranked 4th best looking out of all 50 state capitol buildings?

12/13/2023

11/04/2023

Shout out to our newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Emily Downey Curry, Donna Heine, Mandy Elizabeth Conner, David Belford, Bobbi Grooms, Kennard Bowles, Robert Dye, Darrell Boggess, Edward Phillips, KeriandDakota Jones, Dakoda Jacques, Sonja West, Bette Powell, Kenny Moore, Wes Shultz, Mary Phillips, Guy Moran, Trina Dailey, Rebecca Tomblin, Virginia Simmons, Floda Anstine, Katlyn Smith, Leonard Watson, Kee Howerton, Benji Hess, Patricia Ann Long, Michelle Roach, Sarah Beth, Gerry Gillispie, Bill Hall, Hunter Owens, Howard Linville, Brooke Erby, Melissa Cortes, Chuck Harless, Shirley Hoyt Baird, Faith Grace, Daphne Vanfossen, Missy Kessinger, Pamela Shannon, MattChew Hill, Retha Ritchie Little, Peggy Jean

09/12/2023

😎

08/23/2023

🍁 🍂 Calling all leaf peepers! 🍁 🍂 Our fall foliage predictions are here and we can't wait for our mountains to come alive with color. Start planning your fall adventure today at wvtourism.com/fall.

06/23/2023

7 years have passed since the devastating flooding. Some areas have been forever changed.

06/15/2023

Stunning footage of Sandstone Falls.

06/15/2023

Beautiful!

06/15/2023

06/11/2023

The countdown begins. 🔴 🔴

04/02/2023

ROANE COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — The oldest movie theater that is still showing movies in West Virginia is the Robey Theatre in Spencer. West Virginia Tourism says the theater, which was called The …

03/27/2023

03/15/2023

03/14/2023

A cold March Day on the New River. Photo taken near Hinton, WV.
{📸 credit: Sam Caldwell 03/14/2016}

01/29/2023

What do you think?