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…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Legend has it that in 1654, a group of weary English explorers stumbled upon a sight that defied explanation: a village nestled among the ancient oaks, its log cabins revealing arched windows, yards boasting fenced gardens punctuated by outbuildings. They were shocked: There should not have…
An installment in our Blue Ridge Travel series. Stepping onto the New River Trail today, I can’t help but feel like I’m walking through layers of time, each step tracing the echoes of a bygone era transformed into the present’s treasure. My curiosity sparks as I pass by the N&W Railroad caboose at the southern…