Comparing Fallout 76’s West Virginia Landmarks to their Real-Life Counterparts

Just like previous games in the franchise, Fallout 76 has based its world around a real-life setting. The wild lands of West Virginia are the focus this time, as players roam through Appalachia, now transformed into a Wasteland.

In order to make this fictional Wasteland seem as real as possible, Bethesda made sure to incorporate plenty of well known West Virginian landmarks. Here are just a few of the real-life counterparts that are apart of Fallout 76.

Summersville Lake Lighthouse

The Landview Lighthouse may look like another interesting location to search for scraps in, but West Virginia natives know that this building was based off the Summersville Lake Lighthouse.

In real life, you can find this lighthouse located right on Summersville Lake. If visitors come at the right time, they can climb the 122 steps and get a 360-degree view of the Gauley Ridge National Recreation Area and the lake that resides in it.

In regards to the game, the Landview Lighthouse is home to one of the most interesting encounters in Fallout 76, which can be found via “The Path to Enlightenment.” This event surrounds the fabled figure known as The Mothman, a character that inspired another location in-game.

The Mothman

The Mothman has been a part of West Virginia folklore since the mid-90s and is the areas equivalent to Big Foot. There has even been a statue erected in its honor.

This statue can also be found in Fallout 76, along with a museum dedicated to the mystery. Bethesda took it one step further though, actually integrating The Mothman into the game.

As we mentioned above, The Mothman can be found in the game by triggering “The Path to Enlightenment” quest. This event is can only be found at the Landview Lighthouse at night, summoning a friendly version of this mythical monster.

West Virginia University

West Virginia is home to one of the most well-known university in the United States. So it only makes sense that WVU would appear in Fallout 76.

To be exact, only part of the college appears in the game, that being Woodburn Hall. Also known as University Hall, this area is one of the oldest and most historical parts of the campus.

In Fallout 76, WVU and Woodburn Hall are located in Morgantown, one of the most important areas in the game. Bethesda renamed it to Vault-Tec Universtiy and placed a Vault Boy on the grounds, acting as the fictional establishment’s mascot.

Prickett’s Fort

Prickett’s Fort commemorates late 18th-century life on the Virginia frontier, as the building helped them fend off attacks from natives. As such, it is understandable that it would be in Fallout 76, even if players have to deal with ghouls instead of natives.

While it may not be as vast as the State Park that the real-life Prickett’s Fort resides in, Appalachia’s version is just as interesting. It can be found in the Toxic Valley region of Appalachia, housing plenty of scraps and resources, including a few cooking stations.

This area has one of the coolest PvP quests in the game, called “The Battle that Never Was.” In this quest, players can pick a side of the American Civil War to join, winning once the other team is dead.

State Capitol

No recreation would be complete in the Fallout universe if Bethesda didn’t destroy the state’s capitol building in the process.

While it may not look it, The Charleston Capitol Building is one of the few survived the Great War intact. According to the wiki, the actual destruction came on Christmas Day in 2082, following a flood caused by the destruction of Summersville Dam.

Not many notable items can be found in this West Virginia State Capitol recreation. The only thing of real value you’ll find is the Overseer’s Charleston log, another story holotape necessary to Fallout 76’s story.

Those are simply a few of the landmarks placed throughout Appalachia in Fallout 76. Feel free to comment below about any other noteworthy landmarks you may have found throughout the Wasteland as well.