The Encyclopedia of West Virginia contains detailed information on States: Symbols and Designations, Geography, Archaeology, State History, Local History on individual cities, towns and counties, Chronology of Historic Events in the State, Profiles of Governors, Political Directory, State Constitution, Bibliography of books about the state and an Index.
West Virginia's championship teams at WVU and Marshall and athletic superstars like Jerry West and Mary Lou Retton are familiar to all, but few know the untold story of sports in the Mountain State. Hillside Fields: A History of Sports in West Virginia chronicles the famous athletic triumphs and heart-breaking losses of local heroes and legendary teams, recording the titanic struggles of a small state competing alongside larger rivals. Hillside Fields provides a broad view of the development of sports in West Virginia, from one of the first golf clubs in America at Oakhurst Links to the Greenbrier Classic; from the first girls basketball championship in 1919 to post Title IX; from racially segregated sports to integrated teams; and from the days when West Virginia Wesleyan and Davis & Elkins beat the big boys in football to the championship teams at WVU, Marshall, West Virginia State and West Liberty. Hillside Fields explains how major national trends and events, as well as West Virginia's economic, political, and demographic conditions, influenced the development of sports in the state. The story of the growth of sports in West Virginia is also a story of the tribulations, hopes, values and triumphs of a proud people.
“Kirk’s marvelous tale of one of the bloodiest Appalachian feuds is a rip-roaring page-turner! . . . a good spirited read.” —Homer Hickam, #1 New York Times–bestselling author This riveting account is the first comprehensive examination of the Lincoln County feud, a quarrel so virulent it rivaled that of the infamous Hatfields and McCoys. The conflict began over personal grievances between Paris Brumfield, a local distiller and timber man, and Cain Adkins, a preacher, teacher, doctor, and justice of the peace. The dispute quickly overtook the small Appalachian community of Hart, West Virginia, leaving at least four dead and igniting a decade-long vendetta. Based on local and national newspaper articles and oral histories provided by descendants of the feudists, this powerful narrative features larger-than-life characters locked in deadly conflict. “Not only does Blood in West Virginia present a compelling narrative of a little known feud in southern West Virginia, it provides valuable insights into the local politics, economy, timber industry and family life in Lincoln County during the late 1800s.” —Dr. Robert Maslowski, President of Council for West Virginia Archaeology and graduate instructor at the Marshall University Graduate College “Tells a fascinating story that elevates the Lincoln County feud to its proper place in Appalachian and West Virginia History.” —Dr. Ivan Tribe, author of Mountaineer Jamboree “This book brings a deadly story to life. Author Brandon Kirk has done remarkable work in untangling the complex web of kinship connections linking both friends and foes, while detailing the social and economic strains of changing times in the mountains.” —Ken Sullivan, executive director, West Virginia Humanities Council, and editor of West Virginia Encyclopedia
"This book offers some exciting examples of the insights to be gained from studies of the intellectual responses of Africans to the West. In six case studies, anthropologists, historians, and a literary critic study the impact of the West on African patterns of thought."--Library Journal
Written in response to the Hawk's Nest Tunnel disaster of 1931 in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, The Book of the Dead is an important part of West Virginia's cultural heritage and a powerful account of one of the worst industrial catastrophes in American history. The poems collected here investigate the roots of a tragedy that killed hundreds of workers, most of them African American. They are a rare engagement with the overlap between race and environment in Appalachia. Published for the first time alongside photographs by Nancy Naumburg, who accompanied Rukeyser to Gauley Bridge in 1936, this edition of The Book of the Dead includes an introduction by Catherine Venable Moore, whose writing on the topic has been anthologized in Best American Essays.
