An installment in our Folklore & Legends series Hungry Mother State Park might seem like just another peaceful Blue Ridge retreat designed to happily engage vacationers. The sparkling lake, the hiking trails, the beach, the cabins, the campsites, and the mountain air are delightful. But behind this serene landscape lies a powerful story of survival…
An installment in our Folklore & Legends series As a boy, I was fascinated by tales of lost treasure: The Hardy Boy’s Tower Treasure, Stephenson’s Treasure Island, and Poe’s The Gold Bug. Stories of long-lost fortunes conjure images of daring quests, secret maps, and the intoxicating possibility of striking it rich. Such tales are everywhere….
An installment in our Blue Ridge Travel series. Visualizing the Blue Ridge Parkway, your mind likely drifts to scenic drives and breathtaking views. But did you know this picturesque route has a surprising connection to something as fundamental as your Social Security check? Behind the creation of the Parkway lies a story involving a key…
An installment in our Blue Ridge Travel series. I don’t think about fences much. I was raised in suburbia, where each backyard was cordoned off by some sort of fence. They kept the dogs in and the neighbors out. But driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, I marveled at the ingenuity of the…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In the final, desperate years of the Civil War, Confederate desertion rates soared. Exhausted and disillusioned soldiers, many of whom had been away from home for years, abandoned their posts, driven by the desperate hope of reuniting with their families and escaping the brutality of war….
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In the heart of Foster Falls, Virginia, an Inn sits high on a hill, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains’ serene beauty and the New River’s rippling waters. The New River Trail passes by, a rails-to-trails success story that is a magnet for recreation. The luxurious…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In 2012, I participated in the Heritage Tune competition at the Union Grove Old Time Fiddler’s Convention. The competition is open to musicians of any age who have competed in one of the festival’s twelve instrumental competitions. I competed in the Mountain Dulcimer category, so I…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Go to any Old Time jam session in the area surrounding Galax, VA (“The World Capital of Old Time Music”), and the tune “Cripple Creek” will be played before night’s end. This melody has echoed through the hills and hollers of Appalachia for generations, becoming a…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In 1972, I hiked the Appalachian Trail for the first time. Inspired by the stories of Grandma Gatewood and encouraged by books like The Man Who Walked Through Time, I left my job and took to the trail. Over the years, I’ve hiked sections with my…
An installment in our Folklore & Legends series In Southwest Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, between the towns of Bassett and Stuart, nature and legend intersect in the tale of the Fairy Stones. The focal point for the legend is Fairy Stone State Park, a haven for nature enthusiasts, rock collectors, and seekers of magic. From…
An installment in our Blue Ridge Travel series. From Damascus, Syria, to Damascus, VA For nearly ten thousand years, the ancient city of Damascus has flourished in southwestern Syria. Sitting at the crossroads of trade routes between Africa and Asia, the city has always been a hub for craftsmanship and culture. Like its namesake city,…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Amid the harsh economic strains of the Great Depression, the unassuming craft of tobacco bag stringing emerged as a lifeline for many Blue Ridge families. This craft involved the simple—but tedious—task of threading drawstrings into tobacco bags. These bags held more than tobacco; they promised survival…