What will West Virginia look like 20 years from now?

In this brutally honest episode of Almost Heaven, Always Us, Corey and Kelsey Kimble explore the future of West Virginia and what life could look like in 2045. From shrinking populations and aging communities to disappearing jobs and struggling small towns, we take a clear-eyed look at the challenges ahead — and where we still see hope.

You’ll hear us break down:

• Why West Virginia is one of the fastest-aging states in America

• The communities most at risk of disappearing

• Which industries might save West Virginia — and which won’t

• How the divide between “Two West Virginias” is already taking shape

• Stories of resilience and hope for the next generation

• What we’re doing to fight back — and how you can help

This conversation isn’t about politics or quick fixes — it’s about facing reality, protecting what makes West Virginia unique, and finding real ways to build a stronger future for the Mountain State.

If you love Appalachia and believe in West Virginia’s future, this episode is for you.

Drop a tip, content recommendations, request to be on the show, etc. at: [email protected]

Ep31: West Virginia's Weirdest Toy Craze + “Am I the Jackwagon?” + Cryptids Write In To Reddit?We kick things off with a heated Appalachian family debate — Elkins' man writes in wondering if he’s the Jackwagon for refusing to lend his prized smoker to his sister-in-law. Selfish… or safeguarding the brisket?Then we dive into the creepiest-cute collectible craze sweeping West Virginia — Labubu. These bizarre little gremlin-looking mystery toys are blowing up online, selling out in seconds, and even showing up in thrift stores across Morgantown. Our daughter joins us to explain what makes them so addicting (and how to spot a fake "LaFufu").We finish with some stories where Mothman and Flatwoods Monster write in to Reddit for advice -- and other cryptids respond??Also in this episode:• Cryptids write in to Reddit• The weird way our generation defines “cute” now• How gossip works in a place where everyone waves to each other in traffic• Parenting in the age of viral toys and mystery boxesThis one is funny, nostalgic, chaotic — and more relatable than we care to admit.💬 Got a Jackwagon Moment of your own? Drop it in the comments — we might read it next week.or email us: [email protected] 🎧 Hosted by Corey & Kelsey Kimble📍 Morgantown, West Virginia🧃 Featuring: Jackwagon judgment, LaFufus, and cryptid confessionals

🎥 West Virginia Is AMAZING For These 30 Reasons!Welcome to the ultimate love letter to the Mountain State! Whether you’re a proud West Virginian or just caught feelings for Appalachia… this video breaks down 30 jaw-dropping, hilarious, heartfelt, and underrated reasons why West Virginia is one of the most unique places in America.From wild festivals and haunted asylums to towns of millionaires, national parks, and THAT song we all know by heart… we’re covering it all. Buckle up — this one’s a ride through the soul of Appalachia.👀 IN THIS VIDEO:✅ The national park everyone forgets is in WV✅ The town with the most millionaires per capita in the late 1800s✅ A LEGENDARY cryptid (you know who…)✅ Roadkill... cooked competitively✅ And of course… pepperoni rolls, baby👇 Drop your favorite WV thing in the comments!🔔 Subscribe for more weekly deep dives into West Virginia's weirdest, wildest, and most wonderful places.#WestVirginia #AlmostHeaven #WVHistory #Appalachia #CountryRoads #Cryptids #TravelWV #Roadkill #Bramwell #NewRiverGorge #WVPodcast #WestVirginiaProud #HiddenGemsUSA #travelwv #visitwv 00:00 - Welcome to Wild & Wonderful West Virginia!01:07 - New River Gorge Bridge02:05 - Those Beautiful Views02:45 - Mothman - The Mischievous Cryptid03:50 - Doggy Alarm System04:44 - Blackwater Falls06:07 - Tickled the Trigger Right From The Porch06:42 - Happy Mother's Day!07:22 - This ain’t just where I’m from — it’s who I am!09:08 - Home of the Millionaires — Bramwell, WV10:47 - Four Seasons of Weather12:05 - The home of the Pepperoni Roll13:39 - Wild & Wonderful Wildlife14:39 - Good Ole Home-Cooked Roadkill15:54 - Supporting Small Business18:39 - The Legend of John Henry – Man vs. Machine21:33 - Peace Lives Here22:31 - Country Roads Take Me Home23:58 - Outdoor Activities25:06 - Star Gazing Those Dark WV Skies26:14 - West Virginia: 100% Appalachian28:07 - Front Porch Pickin’ – Mountain Music30:00 - WV Accents31:23 - Seneca Rocks34:00 - Tight-Knit Community35:30 - Hill Billy Engineering37:03 - WV Work Ethic38:43 - Trans-Allegheny Terror41:47 - Mountains Made Us43:00 - 78% Of The State is Covered in Forest44:22 - WV Trails and History of Trail-Blazing45:52 - Almost Heaven, Always Us

What if the key to restoring your hometown… isn’t reinvention, but remembrance?In this episode, we visit Bramwell, West Virginia — once a coal boomtown, now a living example of what happens when people refuse to let their past be forgotten.At the heart of it all is Betty Goins, a lifelong resident who’s spent decades preserving the town’s beauty, history, and spirit. From millionaire mansions to ATV tourism, Bramwell’s revival shows what’s possible when a community leans into its roots and welcomes the future with open arms.Whether you're from a small town or just love stories about grit, heart, and heritage — this one’s for you.🎧 Featuring: Betty Goins🏡 Location: Bramwell, WV💬 55 Counties, 55 Voices: Mercer CountySign up to represent your county: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFwIRTSrcUOhA1AkjJeJmGkYMDjq3V8x8_O4mK15l1qSW-mw/viewform?usp=dialog#AlmostHeaven #WestVIrginia #WestVirginiaPodcast #BramwellWV #mercercounty #Appalachia #hatfieldmccoy #wvpodcast 00:00 What If Remembering Is Enough?00:30 Who Is Betty Goins?01:15 Coalfields in Her Blood06:25 Bramwell Millionaire Home Tours Birth11:30 Bramwell's Community Effort15:30 The Birth of the Bramwell Tours22:30 Garden Club to Legacy Work28:30 Building a Community, Not a Museum33:00 What Makes Bramwell Different36:45 A Vision for a Living Town40:00 ATVs, Tourism & Modern Bramwell44:00 The Wheelbarrow Full of Money45:43 The West Virginia Spirit50:00 The Future of Bramwell51:55 Come See for Yourself!

Join us on an unforgettable journey to Bramwell, West Virginia — once home to more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America! In this episode, we explore what makes this tiny Appalachia town one of the Mountain State’s most fascinating hidden gems.From Gilded Age mansions to ATV culture, peaceful streets to deep coal heritage, Bramwell offers a blend of history and adventure that feels both surreal and deeply grounded. We share 10 surprising things that stood out from our visit — including the town’s cinematic vibe, its shockingly well-preserved homes, and the unique way the past and present come together to create something truly special.So grab a sweet tea, take a seat, and get ready to fall in love with West Virginia’s Millionaire Town.🎧 Don’t forget to check out next week’s episode featuring Betty Goins, the woman who helped preserve it all.#BramwellWV #AlmostHeaven #WestVirginia #AlmostHeavenAlwaysUs #MillionaireTown #WVPodcast #TravelWV #CoalHeritage #HistoricTowns 00:00 – Intro & Visiting Bramwell03:04 – #1: It Feels Like a Movie Set 08:00 – #2: It Had the Most Millionaires Per Capita in America 14:00 – #3: Everything Is Well Preserved18:43 – #4: The Coal Heritage Is Huge 24:13 – #5: The Mayor Is Probably Cooler Than Yours 25:21 – #6: ATVs and Hatfield-McCoy Trails Are a Big Deal 32:14 – #7: The Mix of Past and Present Is Magic 35:40 – #8: They’re Still Building on That38:15 – #9: Everybody Seems to Know Everyone 41:13 – #10: We Still Don’t Know How to Say the Town Name 46:26 – Wrap-Up

In this episode of Almost Heaven, Always Us, we share our personal journey across five West Virginia towns—Petersburg, Scherr, Keyser, Huntington, and Morgantown (twice)—and how each one helped shape our relationship, our identity, and eventually this podcast.Whether you're from the Mountain State or just curious about what it's like to live in West Virginia, this is a real, heartfelt look at small towns, big moves, and the moments that made us who we are.📍This is our West Virginia story—and if you love this state too, we think you’ll feel right at home.👇 SUBSCRIBE for more WV stories, interviews, and legends:🟡 Chapters:0:00 Intro3:00 Petersburg – Where It All Started8:57 Keyser – Potomac State College12:16 Morgantown – First Taste of "City" Life16:00 WVU - The First Time Living In Morgantown18:33 Huntington – Challenges and Growth26:38 Back to Morgantown – Planting Roots33:08 Why We Started This WV Podcast39:07 The Mountain Mailbox48:26 Visiting Southern WV#WestVirginia #WVPodcast #WVLifestyle #MountainState #MorgantownWV #HuntingtonWV #WVLove #AlmostHeaven #VisitWV #WVU

We’re tackling the question that’s divided West Virginians for decades:Is the Eastern Panhandle really part of West Virginia? 🤔 Spoiler: We say yes!We risk it all and visit Reddit 🤯 to try to figure out if the Eastern Panhandle really belongs to WV 🏔️ or if it’s basically Maryland in disguise 👀. And Reddit responds with Big opinions, wild comments😤 and one mysterious troll who might know us personally?? 😳We also start the pepperoni trail in Fairmont, announce a new travel vlog channel, and discuss if the WV state outline tops all the other states.💬 Comment below: What do YOU think—Eastern Panhandle—real WV or not quite?#AlmostHeaven #WestVirginia #WVStrong #MountainState #RealWV #StateDebate #EasternPanhandle #WVDebate #WVDrama #TrollWatch00:00 The Eastern Panhandle04:45 Best State Outline - WV06:09 Reacting to Reddit Comments13:45 The Great Reddit Troll Mystery19:27 Charles Town Casino21:23 Crossing The State Line23:03 Almost Heaven Always Us Adventures Travel Vlog26:00 Historic Eastern Panhandle27:23 Pepperoni Rolls/ Fairmont Visit33:35 Spicy Reddit Comments40:20 Final Verdict - Is EP Really WV?

If you know, you know!...You ever been personally victimized by a WV pothole?Or judged a stranger based solely on where they get their pepperoni rolls?Or played cornhole at a wedding, while wearing camo and singing country roads?Then this list is for you.In our 25th episode, we’re counting down 25 things only true West Virginians understand—the inside jokes, funny habits, and hometown truths that will make you say....if you know, you know.🔥 WV state pride😂 Holler humor🧃 Mountain Dew negotiations👀 And maybe a goat in the backyard👉 Let us know which one had you saying, “Yup, that’s me.”#WestVirginia #AlmostHeaven #WVHumor #IYKYK #VisitWV #PepperoniRolls #countryroads 00:00 Country Roads turns grown men into backup singers03:03 Driving 30 minutes for Sheetz like it’s fine dining04:14 Foil-wrapped food: award-winning or dangerous05:35 Everyone has a Bigfoot-believing Facebook friend07:26 Dollar General is everywhere09:30 Cornhole belongs at every life event11:07 Mountain Dew as currency12:12 Feuds with neighboring hollers14:25 Snow panic: milk, bread, and beer16:39 Lawnmower = transportation18:14 Judging pepperoni rolls21:27 Camo weddings22:48 The steering wheel finger wave25:45 Every ghost story starts with 'Now I ain't sayin' I believe in all that, but...'26:59 Going to *The* Walmart29:15 Someone in town has a goat (in town)30:58 Potholes that ruin lives32:43 You're related to half the county 35:40 Parade candy injuries are a rite of passage 41:15 Saying 'West by God Virginia' with your chest 42:58 Hunting season = school holiday 43:53 Every town has a Buck, Junior, or Peanut45:10 The state fair is a spiritual experience 47:24 Mothman sightings are normal 51:20 You will defend this state

Big Ugly. Booger Hole. Odd.Yes, these are real places in West Virginia—and they’re just the beginning.In this episode, we rank the strangest, funniest, and most head-scratching community names in the Mountain State. From the haunted hills of Booger Hole to the tasty tale behind Pie, WV, we’re exploring the wild side of West Virginia geography.This episode will have you laughing, cringing, and googling, and planning a trip.Hit play and let’s get weird—WV style.#AlmostHeaven #WestVirginia #WeirdWV #AppalachianOddities #WestByGodVirginia #visitwv #wvpodcast #wv

Don’t let summer slip away — this is your ultimate West Virginia bucket list.From mountain festivals to river floats, pepperoni rolls to porch sittin’ — we’re giving you 10 unforgettable ways to make the most of Almost Heaven this summer. Whether you're a lifelong local or just passing through, this guide is packed with real places, real dates, and real WV charm.✅ Festivals you can’t miss✅ Secret swim spots✅ Must-try food stops✅ Scenic views to make your heart pause✅ Family-friendly + adventure-ready👉 Comment your favorite summer tradition in WV — we’ll feature the best ones in a future episode!🔔 Subscribe for more West Virginia stories, small-town adventures, and mountain magic every week.🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts.#AlmostHeaven #WildAndWonderful #WestVirginia #WVTravel #ExploreWV #VisitWV #WVTourism #WVFairsAndFestivals #WVFishing #WVCamping #WVRafting #WVRivers #WVEats #WVFoodie #MountainMusicFestival#4848Festival #BackHomeFestival #WVSummer #SummerInWV