Stay ConnectedWelcome to “Stories of Appalachia,” the podcast where hosts Steve Gilly and Rod Mullins have been unraveling the captivating history and folklore of the Appalachian region since 2015. Join them as they guide you through mist-covered mountains and winding rivers, exploring the stories that define the heart and soul of Appalachia.
www.storiesofappalachia.com
Copyright: © Copyright Steve Gilly
Christmas Eve, 1924, started like Christmas Eve always had, with people getting ready for family gatherings, caroling, and opening presents the next morning.
That's not what ended up happening in Saltville, Virginia, that night. Instead, the town suffered through a literal nightmare of caustic muck, debris, death and destruction as an alkali plant's muck dam collapsed, sending a massive wave down the north fork of the Holston River.
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When you say "feud" anywhere in America, what comes to most folks' minds are the names "Hatfield" and "McCoy." That notorious feud has been the stuff of legend not just in Appalachia but all across America as well.
But that feud eventually burnt itself out. So what happened to Devil Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy after that?
Well, for one thing, did you know that Devil Anse Hatfield went on the vaudeville circuit early in the twentieth century? Today we tell you that story and more about the Hatfields and McCoys after the end of their famous feud.
You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Goodpods, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app.
In the early part of the 19th century, a woman was arrested for the gruesome murder of her husband in what's now Mitchell County, North Carolina.
Some said she acted in jealousy, others say she reacted to ongoing spousal abuse to protect herself and her baby daughter.
Today we tell the story of Frankie Silver, the first woman to be hanged in North Carolina.
On a few nights in October, 1973 all over Appalachia, from Ohio to Tennessee, there was a wave of UFO sightings and reports of attempted abductions.
Today we tell that story.
If you like our stories of Appalachian history, you might want to subscribe to our podcast so you don't miss an episode. You can do that at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker, Audible, Goodpods, PlayerFM or on your own favorite podcast app...we'll be there.
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(Picture of Watauga Lake by Ryan Rice at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2246001)
(Picture of Broad Street by AppalachianCentrist - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113623763)
In the late 1940's a man who went by the name of Ernest I. Torrence traveled across Appalachia, from Georgia to Pennsylvania, seeking his true love.
Unfortunately for the women he met, his true love was not them, but their money.
Today we tell the tale of a smooth-talking Appalachian con man, who targeted women through the lonely hearts clubs ads in newspapers all around the region.
You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Stitcher, Audible, Goodpods, or on your favorite podcast app.
Thanks for listening!
Earlier this summer we took our YouTube viewers to the area around Fontana Lake to show them a road that was promised but never fully built. On today's podcast episode, we're going to tell the story of what's come to be known as the "Road to Nowhere."
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Thanks for listening and for sharing us with your friends!
Building a railroad in Appalachia after the Civil War was always a hard, back-breaking effort. But in the very rugged mountains of Western North Carolina, which contained the tallest mountains east of the Mississippi River, it was deadly.
Today we tell the story of the building of the Western North Carolina Railroad.
You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Stitcher, Goodpods, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app.
Thanks for listening!
In 1925 a man from Coal Creek, Tennessee, named Condy Dabney came to Harlan County, Kentucky, looking for work down in the mines. He soon tired of that work and started a taxi service that shuttled folks around Harlan and other towns in the county.
Things were looking bright for Mr. Dabney, until he was arrested and charged with killing a 14-year-old girl who it was said had taken a ride in his cab. He was convicted of her murder.
Then, things got strange.
Today we tell the story of a Harlan County murder that never happened.
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Thanks for listening and for sharing our podcast with your friends.
Back during the Great Depression East Tennessee was visited by a mysterious beast, a large dog with, some say, glowing red eyes. This dog, called the Witch Dog by some, terrorized farms in the region. Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the Witch Dog vanished, never to be seen again.
Today we bring you the story of the Witch Dog, in honor of Halloween...
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Thanks for listening. Have a fun and safe Halloween!
Every now and then there appears a man or woman with a sense of the true importance of the culture of Appalachia. Bascom Lamar Lunsford was one of those people.
Trained as a teacher and as a lawyer, Lunsford not only taught and practiced law in Western North Carolina, he also spent time as a fruit tree salesman, a beekeeper, a newspaper publisher, and an auctioneer, among other pursuits.
But it was his love of old-time Appalachian music that made him famous. Lunsford is known for his travels through the hills and hollers collecting songs and tunes, many of which he recorded himself.
Today we tell the story of Bascom Lamar Lunsford.
You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, Spotify, Audible or on your favorite podcast app.
Thanks for listening!
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