e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia online, is an electronic reference resource published by the West Virginia Humanities Council. The print edition of the West Virginia Encyclopedia was released on West Virginia's birthday, June 20, 2006, and the online version was launched in September 2010. e-WV's content is based on the original 2,200 articles in the West Virginia Encyclopedia, with extensive revisions and new entries.
e-WV operates on a proprietary software platform, developed exclusively for the West Virginia Humanities Council by Information Research Corporation of Fairmont, West Virginia. A complete rebuild of the site was developed in 2024 by Formed Function, LLC. Unless otherwise indicated, all content of e-WV is the exclusive property of the West Virginia Humanities Council, copyright, 2024.
You may contact e-WV by writing to West Virginia Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Boulevard E., Charleston, WV 25301 or bumgardner@wvhumanities.org or by calling 304-346-8500.
Our technical support Ryan Heath, Owner, Formed Function LLC, Morgantown, West Virginia
Our hosting partner WVNET, the West Virginia Network, Morgantown, West Virginia
Copyright 2024, West Virginia Humanities Council. All rights reserved.
All elements constituting e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia, including site layout, look and feel, functionalities, design, text, images, graphics, and audio and video, are protected by copyright and trademark laws. They may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, posted, or broadcast without the prior written permission of the West Virginia Humanities Council, except as provided under these terms of use. Some photographs and illustrations, and items of audio and video, are the property of other owners, as credited within e-WV.
Fair use of copyrighted material includes the use of protected materials for noncommercial educational purposes and for purposes of review and critical commentary or news reporting pertaining to those materials. The use of text from e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia for such purposes does not require express permission from the West Virginia Humanities Council. By downloading, printing, or otherwise using content from e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia, users agree that they will limit their use of such material to fair use and will not violate the proprietary rights of the West Virginia Humanities Council or any other party.
If you wish to use content from e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia for commercial use, publication, or any purpose other than fair use as defined by law, you must request and receive written permission. Such requests may be directed by e-mail to bumgardner@wvhumanities.org or by postal mail to e-WV, West Virginia Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Boulevard, E., Charleston, WV 25301.
All use of materials, whether fair use or by permission, must credit e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia as the source. We encourage users to post a link to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia or to specific material within e-WV.
Operating under the slogan, “All there is to know about West Virginia,” e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia intends to be the best source available for concise, authoritative information on a wide range of topics related to West Virginia past and present. All textual and non-textual content have been selected or created, and prepared and edited, with that goal in mind.
Textual content has been created by e-WV editorial staff and by hundreds of freelance contributors. In all cases, accuracy and clarity of expression are the main criteria. e-WV takes no editorial stance as regards the subjects, issues, and events presented here, and discourages the expression of opinion on the part of its freelancers.
e-WV welcomes comments, criticism, and corrections. Errors of fact will be corrected, and challenges to the interpretation or presentation of material will be carefully considered.
e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia welcomes freelance contributions. All contributions are subject to acceptance and to editing. Contributor guidelines and a style sheet are available from Stan Bumgardner at bumgardner@wvhumanities.org or by calling him at 304-346-8500. Prior to writing a new entry, please contact us first. An internal editorial committee reviews and has the final say on the potential inclusion of all proposed topics.
It is the policy of e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia and the West Virginia Humanities Council to collect the information necessary to manage and improve our website and to facilitate your use of the site and our communication with you.
Collected information may include the name of your domain; an IP address; the type of browser and operating system; whether you accessed e-WV directly or from another website, and the address of that site; the pages visited within e-WV; and the links made from e-WV to other websites. Information will be analyzed as to the overall volume of use of e-WV, the geographic origins of traffic to our site and by time or date, the usage of particular elements of e-WV, and for similar analytical purposes.
We collect as well the information requested of you when you become a registered user of e-WV. This information includes your name, postal and email addresses, and phone number. This is used in the management of your account as a registered user. e-WV or the West Virginia Humanities Council may also contact you by postal mail, email, or telephone. Your contact information will not be shared with others.
The West Virginia Humanities Council is committed to making e-WV accessible to all, including people with disabilities. e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia complies with best practices and standards as defined by Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act (www.section508.gov), and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative (www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20).