Explore Our History

The West Virginia & Regional History Center collects, preserves, and provides public access to materials that show the history and culture of West Virginia and the central Appalachian region.

Read More About Our Collections.

We are normally open Monday through Saturday. These hours do change, so please check our weekly hours before visiting.
Please note that on Saturdays, only the main reading room and microfilm room are open-- manuscripts and rare books are not available.

Archives & Manuscripts

Archives and manuscripts holdings document West Virginia's founding, as well as all aspects of the state's economic, cultural, and social history.

An image of three books related to West Virginia history

West Virginia Books

The WVRHC contains a comprehensive collection of books and periodicals relating to West Virginia.

A black-and-white photograph of miners in front of a WV Department of Mines sign

West Virginia History OnView

Thousands of digital images portray a variety of people and topics connected to West Virginia and the Appalachian region.

A WV newspaper with a photograph of a house on the page

Newspapers

The WVRHC holds the largest collection of historical West Virginia newspapers in existence.

A black-and-white photograph of a family of four on a porch swing

Genealogy

The WVRHC has a number of resources and tips for conducting genealogy research.