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West Virginia’s material culture—things people made and used—was shaped by farming and mountain living until the late 1800s. Most people lived on small family farms, especially in the mountains, where they grew food and raised animals mainly for their own use (known as subsistence). These farms were usually around 10 to 15 acres and included forests where families hunted, collected plants, and let animals roam.
Neighbors worked together to build homes, barns, and fences. These shared work days, called “workings,” helped everyone get things done. Most houses were log cabins. The Scotch-Irish built square homes with one big room, while Pennsylvania Germans built rectangular homes with three rooms and fancy notched corners. Over time, the two styles mixed together in West Virginia.
Fences were built to keep animals in or out, usually from strong wood like chestnut. Farmers used simple tools like axes, draw knives, and mallets to build homes and make furniture.
This way of life started to fade as railroads, coal mines, and factories came in. People began working for wages instead of farming. Still, some traditions of folk culture continue today in parts of West Virginia and are often celebrated at fairs and festivals.
During the 1700s, forts were built first along the Alleghenies and then westward to protect against attacks by Indians. Forting was a key part of life for settlers in the 1700s. When there was a risk of attacks, families left their homes and staye...
In West Virginia, the term "homeplace" holds special meaning. It refers to where someone grew up or their family's original home, not necessarily their current house. Some families still live there, while others use it as a vacation spot or family...
Early European-American pioneers lived off the land. They cut down trees to build their homes and barns. They also trapped animals and hunted for food and skins. Plus, they gathered things like fruit, nuts, and maple sap. As they cleared land to g...
Early settlers grew crops and raised animals mostly for their families to eat but also some for them to sell. Most farms had cows for milk, chickens, sheep, mules or horses (or oxen), and pigs that roamed freely. By selling extra animals at local ...
Draft animals, such as horses, mules, and oxen, were essential in West Virginia through the 1800s and early 1900s for farming, transportation, logging, and mining. Oxen, though slower, were easier to care for and worked well on rough land, with De...
In the early 1800s, farming in the U.S. shifted toward selling goods, and livestock--such as cattle, sheep, and hogs--were driven to markets in cities. Before trains became common in the 1850s, animals had to be walked to cities, with farmers guid...