Stories to fall for
Every year, one of my favorite issues is the one in which we introduce you to our Wonder Women. These remarkable women come from different communities, professions, and walks of life, but they share something important—grit. They lead, create, serve, build, and make their corners of West Virginia better. I always come away from their stories inspired, and I think you will, too.
Possibility is also alive and well in Huntington and its environs, a city experiencing an exciting renaissance. There is a palpable energy there right now, fueled by entrepreneurs, artists, small business owners, Marshall University, and community leaders who are investing in their hometown and imagining what comes next. If you haven’t visited lately, it’s time.
We would be remiss in celebrating Huntington’s renaissance without remembering Tyson Compton, the longtime president of the Huntington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, who recently passed away. Soon after I started WV Living, Tyson became the president of the CVB. Having worked in the magazine business in California early in his career, he was an enthusiastic supporter of us—and a great mentor to me. Tyson was one of Huntington’s most enthusiastic champions, helping others see the promise and personality of the city he so dearly loved. His fingerprints are all over the Huntington we celebrate in these pages, and his absence—and bear hugs—will be deeply felt.
But while we love celebrating what’s new, we also have a soft spot for what has stood the test of time. So we packed our bags and took a road trip to some of West Virginia’s wonderfully retro destinations—the restaurants, lodging, shops, and roadside treasures that remind us that not everything needs reinvented. Sometimes the charm is precisely that it hasn’t changed.
Of course, no fall road trip is complete without something delicious along the way. Drink Local, our annual libations guide, gives you plenty of reasons to raise a glass to West Virginia’s growing beverage scene. We also sit down with Ben Salango, Joe Nassif, and Kyle Mork, co-hosts of Bourbon Podcast, to talk about the spirit, stories, and camaraderie surrounding one of America’s favorite pours. If you like bourbon, you’ll love their show.
And because it wouldn’t be fall without apples, we’re celebrating one of the season’s simplest pleasures with recipes that will make you want to head straight to the nearest orchard. You will definitely want to try the Savory Apple Tart on page 51. Trust me.
This issue celebrates West Virginia in all its layers—the women shaping our future, communities reinventing themselves, businesses preserving the past, and people gathering around a table or a glass. So after reading this issue, get in the car and go somewhere you haven’t been in a while. Order the pie. Wander through the old shop. Try the bourbon. Buy the apples. Strike up a conversation with someone new.
Sometimes the best adventures happen by rediscovering what we already have.
Happy fall, y’all!
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