Getting to know your community is an important part of the college experience, and feeling connected to where you live can be a big factor in completing your education. Marshall University is an intrinsic part of not only the city of Huntington, but also of the entire Tri-State Area. Lots of Marshall students become so connected to the community surrounding campus that they choose to make it their home long after graduation. Here are some great places to explore to get to know your home-away-from home:
West Virginia
Appalachian Boarding Company: This truly unique company offers stand up paddleboard (SUP) rental (with delivery to a location of your choice in West Virginia). They also offer SUP beginner lessons, SUP guided tours, drop off and pick up, and SUP yoga. Based in Scott Depot in Putnam County, but serving paddlers around the state. . 304-693-2955.
Blenko Glass: Located at Blenko Glass Company off of James River Turnpike in Milton. Historic museum on second floor of the Visitors Center features extensive stained glass disptlay, history of the family-owned glass company, Country Music Award and U.S. Capitol lighting globe on display. Tours also available. Admission is free. Hours are: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Call 304-743-9081.
Bituminous Coal Heritage Foundation Museum: Located at 347 Main St., Madison, this museum’s mission is to preserve the heritage of the Southern West Virginia coal fields through miner’s tools, photographs, company records and other pieces of the state’s mining history. Call 304-369-9118 or visit .
Camden Park: The oldest amusement park in West Virginia with about 30 rides, including the classic wooden roller coaster, The Big Dipper. Located at U.S. 60 West, Huntington. Hours vary, but the park typically is open on weekends in May, Wednesday through Sunday in June, Tuesday through Sunday in July before hours trail off through August and September. Don’t miss Spooktacular, weekends in October. Call 304-429-4321. Go online at .
Clay Center: Clay Center houses the performing arts, visual arts and the sciences under one roof. The facility is home to the Avampato Discovery Museum, with rotating exhibits and hands-on activities for children. The Clay Center also houses the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the 1,883-seat Maier Foundation Performance Hall, the black-box Walker Theater, the large-format film ElectricSky Theater and more. Located at 1 Clay Square, Charleston. For information, visit or call 304-561-3500 or 888-241-6376.
Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society Inc.: 1323 8th Ave., Huntington. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Operated by the Collis P. Huntington Historical Society. The Society operates an indoor museum inside its office building where guests can view a multitude of railroadiana on display including lanterns, conductor outfits, poster and more. The most prominent item is a late 1800’s era built hand car. This hand car was built in the late 1800s for the C&O railroad and was in the movie “Matewan,” which was filmed in Thurmond, West Virginia. The society also operates an outdoor museum at the end of Memorial park, on 14th Street West in Huntington. There, visitors can see an H-6 Baldwin Steam Locomotive, a C&O caboose and more. Call 866-639-7487 or 304-523-0364 or visit .
Hatfield-McCoy Airboat Tours: Based out of the Matewan Depot, airboat rides are offered on a regular basis Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tours also can be arranged by appointment on Sunday afternoons and Mondays. Groups of three or more are encouraged. The boat carries a maximum of six passengers per tour. Tours are around an hour in length. Speed down the Tug River, and be immersed in the beauty of West Virginia’s natural landscapes. Visit .
Heritage Farm Museum and Village: Recreates turn-of-the-century Appalachian life in restored log buildings, including a pioneer village with blacksmith shop, antique shop, church, petting zoo, bed and breakfasts, museums, community room, old school house and more. Guided tours available all year 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday (except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and, in the winter months, weather permitting). Groups of 15 or more qualify for special group rates when making advance reservations. Located at 3350 Harvey Road, Huntington. For more information, call 304-522-1244, or visit .
Huntington Museum of Art: Conservatory, silver and portraits, firearm collections, gallery, glass, museum shop and various changing exhibits. Located at 2033 McCoy Road, Huntington. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call 304-529-2701. Go online at .
Lost Huntington Escape Room: Located at 803 3rd. Ave., Huntington, the Lost Escape Room is a fun, immersive entertainment concept. It is a real-life game designed for small groups of people. Your goal is simple: work together as a team, testing your wits and skills, to escape from a themed locked room. Getting through the locked door will require finding clues, solving puzzles, cracking codes, and working together. Visit .
Mardi Gras Casino and Resort: Located just off the Nitro exit of I-64 in Kanawha County, Tri-State Casino and Resort is a Mardi Gras-style gaming center that offers greyhound races, slots, table games, food and entertainment and an on-site hotel. The Big Easy Poker Room offers Texas Holdòòò½ÊÓÆµ™Em, Omaha Hi-Lo and 7-Card Stud. Live bands play at The French Quarter Restaurant and Lounge. Call 304-776-1000.
Midland Trail National Scenic Byway: This award-winning tourist highway takes travelers along U.S. 60 east from Kenova through Huntington, Charleston and the New River area before ending 180 miles later at White Sulphur Springs, near the state’s border with Virginia. Highlights of the trail include historic sites such as the Toll House in Barboursville, the Wine Cellars of Dunbar, Booker T. Washington’s cabin in Malden, the African-American Family Tree Museum in Ansted, the Carnifex Battle Museum in Summersville, and many more. The trail is also rich with outdoor adventures including Hawks Nest State Park. You’ll also find tons of restaurants, museums, galleries and crafts and specialty shops along the way. For up-to-date travel information, log on to .
Mothman Statue and Museum: Was it a real monster or just an elaborate hoax? The winged creature with the glowing red eyes was first sited in Mason County in 1967, and now a statue of the Mothman is located near Gunn Park. The museum is located on Main Street in Point Pleasant. Visitors can experience multimedia presentations, rare Mothman archives and movie props. Don’t miss the gift shop. Call 304-675-6788 or log onto .
Museum of Radio and Technology: Located at 1640 Florence Ave., Huntington. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays year round, except holidays. Admission is free; donations are welcome. The museum is entirely run by volunteers. Call 304-525-8890 or visit .
Nitro History & Wars Museum: Located at 2003 20th St. in Nitro. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from noon to 4 p.m. Displays honor the founding of Nitro as a gunpowder production site during WWI, military memorabilia through the years, and the museum is now the permanent home of the West Virginia Memorial Vietnam Wall, which had traveled around the state for 12 years. Visit or call 304-549-2213.
Robert Newlon Airpark: 6090 Kyle Lane, Huntington, offers skydiving, a 9-hole disc golf course, an RV park for camping, and a restaurant, the Fly-In Cafe. Donòòò½ÊÓÆµ™t miss the Fly-In Festival for skydivers and bluegrass lovers each August. Follow on Facebook, or call 304-733-1240.
Silver Bridge Memorials: Located in Point Pleasant, Mason County, at 6th and Main streets and north of Kanauga at the State Route 7 rest area. On Dec. 15, 1967, during rush hour, the Silver Bridge, connecting Point Pleasant to Kanauga, Ohio, fell into the icy Ohio River. Forty-six people lost their lives when the bridge fell. Two memorials have been erected in their memory.
Spring Hill Cemetery: Located near the Fairfield West neighborhood of Huntington, this cemetery is the final resting place of many of the victims of the 1970 plane crash that killed 75 Marshall University football players, coaches and fans. It includes a monument to the lost team and the graves of several players who were never identified. Spring Hill is also the final resting place of many Civil War soldiers. Call 304-696-5516 or log onto cemetery@ghprd.org.
The Old Hospital on College Hill: Located in Williamson, this now-closed hospital offers year-long thrills for fans of the paranormal and local history. Located at 728 Mulberry St., the attraction offers various reservation-only tours ranging from daytime historic tours to nighttime paranormal hunts. Escape rooms are happening through October. For the spooky at heart, the venue will even host weddings and other special occasions. Visit .
West Virginia Mine Wars Museum: In the heart of Historic Matewan, this museum preserves and interprets artifacts and historical records of the local communities affected by the West Virginia Mine Wars, exploring historical events from multiple perspectives through the lives of ordinary people. The museum is located at 401 Mate Street in Matewan, in a building that still bears the scars of bullet holes from the Matewan Massacre shootout. Learn more at .
West Virginia State Museum: Located in the Cultural Center, State Capitol, Charleston. Doors are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Call 304-558-0220. Library is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and the archives department is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Zoology Zone Science Center: Located at Valley Park, Hurricane, this nonprofit aims to inspire wildlife and environmental conservation. It currently has close to 90 rescued animals, mainly reptiles and amphibians, along with a prairie dog and rabbit. The center is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1-6 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays. .