History
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series During the Civil War, the lines between soldier and outlaw blurred in the mountains of Appalachia, where men like Champ Ferguson thrived. Ferguson wasn’t a typical Confederate soldier; he was a guerrilla fighter, leading a small band of men in bloody raids that left a trail…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series There’s little difference between the raging hormones of teen romance and the frantic mating rituals of beasts. Hearts race, tempers flare, and decisions are made in the heat of the moment. The rules of teen romance are firm: Stay away from my guy. Don’t mess with…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Before the days of welfare programs and safety nets, communities had to find ways to care for their most vulnerable. Appalachia was no different. Scattered throughout the hills and valleys of this rugged region, poorhouse farms were an essential part of the social fabric, though rarely…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series When you think about Prohibition-era rum runners, the image of a fast-talking, fast-driving man usually comes to mind. But in the hills of Virginia, one woman stood out above all the men: Willie Carter Sharpe. Born in Floyd County in the early 1900s, Willie was destined…
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 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 Appalachian History and Culture series Along a freeway passage where traffic travels north on I-81 while simultaneously going south on I-77 lies the exit for Ft. Chiswell, VA. One might expect to find some semblance of a colonial fort there, considering that Virginia is a state rich in historical sites. But…