daily304 – Episode 09.15.2026

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia. Today is Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. …and now for the rest of the stories…on today's daily304.com! #1 – From WV EXPLORER – The West Virginia town that helped pave America There's a bend in the Ohio River where West Virginia helped build American cities one brick at a time. More than 20 brick plants once operated around New Cumberland, producing millions of bricks that traveled by river and rail to communities across the country. The concentration was so great that riverboat crews called the area "Brickyard Bend." Historian Jeanne Grimm writes that New Cumberland was considered the brick capital of the United States from about 1840 to 1910. Hancock County had extensive clay deposits, including fire clays useful for products that could withstand extreme heat. New Cumberland's location on the Ohio River also gave manufacturers access to distant markets long before the railroad arrived. West Virginia bricks found their way to streets in Wheeling and Steubenville and to projects as far away as New Jersey and South Carolina. Later, local manufacturers increasingly produced heat-resistant brick for steelmaking and other heavy industries. Read more: https://wvexplorer.com/new-cumberland-west-virginia-brick-capital/ #2 – From ONLY IN YOUR STATE – Davis looks like a storybook in the fall West Virginia's fall color begins in the high Alleghenies, making the Davis and Thomas area one of the first places leaf peepers head each season. Davis sits along the Blackwater River on the edge of the Monongahela National Forest. Once a timber town nicknamed "Stumptown," Davis has evolved into a destination built around art and outdoor recreation. Just three miles away, Blackwater Falls State Park surrounds its famous 57-foot waterfall with autumn color. Canaan Valley offers another view from above with a scenic chairlift, while Dolly Sods Wilderness and the Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail provide plenty of ways to explore on foot. Then there's the Leaf Peepers Festival, held the last weekend in September with a firemen's parade, live music, the Run For It race, food and craft vendors and family activities. Peak color varies with the weather, but late September through the first half of October is typically the prime window for this beautiful area of the state. Read more: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/west-virginia/storybook-fall-town-wv #3 – From THE REAL WV – From Charleston to the music charts Stephen Thomas is taking West Virginia roots into a music career that's crossing genres and reaching audiences around the country. The Charleston native has found growing national recognition through rock and alternative music, major radio and Billboard chart appearances and a crossover into country. His work stretches across rock, pop, R&B and country. But Thomas' conversation with The Real WV goes beyond music. It's also about what it means to grow up here, leave to pursue opportunity and remain connected to home. Thomas says West Virginia's landscapes, country music and outdoor traditions continue to influence his perspective and his work. At the same time, he's candid about the challenges young people can face when pursuing careers in creative industries. Read more: https://therealwv.com/2026/09/03/from-charleston-to-the-charts-stephen-thomas-reflects-on-success-and-his-west-virginia-roots/ Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty, and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.