Dave Hurst, the principal of HMW, writes a syndicated weekly newspaper column that some papers publish under his name and others publish under the name, Westsylvania.

Never heard of Westsylvania? Were it not for the politics of 1776, you could be living or working or visiting in Westsylvania! Settlers in the upper Ohio River Valley petitioned the Continental Congress to create the free territory of Westsylvania. Congress, worried that the proposal would cause in-fighting between Pennsylvania and Virginia (both of which claimed portions of the territory) at a time when the colonies were revolting against Great Britain, buried the petition in committee.

Westsylvania, the column, explores the ways in which the region’s pioneering spirit and sense of independence continue to exist today. The column identifies the natural and cultural qualities that make this region unique. And the column offers travel and activity ideas that will enable you to experience this special place for yourself.

To write to Dave Hurst about the column, e-mail column@hurstmediaworks.com.

Currently, Westsylvania is published in these newspapers:

Huntingdon Daily News,
Kittanning Leader Times,
Latrobe Bulletin,
Somerset Daily American
and
Tyrone Daily Herald

To read columns published during the past year, click on the links to the right.